In 2025, the ship recycling industry is no longer just about dismantling vessels. It’s about doing it safely, responsibly, and sustainably—with skilled, empowered workers at the heart of every operation. As one of the leading players in Alang, India, R.L. Kalthia Ship Breaking Pvt. Ltd. places immense emphasis on safety, training, and workforce development.

Raising the Bar on Safety Standards

Shipbreaking is inherently high-risk. At R.L. Kalthia, we implement rigorous shipyard safety protocols to mitigate hazards. Our safety measures include:

• Mandatory use of PPE (Personal Protective Equipment)

• Regular safety drills and emergency response training

• Dedicated on-site medical facilities and first-aid stations

• Daily toolbox talks and safety briefings

We also maintain full compliance with international standards including ISO 45001 for Occupational Health & Safety and HKC (Hong Kong Convention) requirements.

Building a Skilled Workforce

At R.L. Kalthia, we believe in investing in people. Our skill development programs help workers master safe ship dismantling practices. These include:

• Training on hazardous material handling

• Steel cutting and torch handling best practices

• Safe lifting, rigging, and confined space operations

• Waste segregation and environmental awareness

Supervisors and safety officers conduct regular assessments to ensure that all workers are updated with the latest knowledge and techniques.

Certifications That Protect

Certifications are more than just paperwork—they’re a safeguard for everyone involved. Our operations are aligned with:

• HKC compliance—ensuring safe and environmentally sound ship recycling

• ClassNK Statement of Compliance (SOC)—a globally respected recognition

• ISO 9001, 14001, and 45001—covering quality, environment, and safety management systems

Why It Matters to Stakeholders

For shipowners and global stakeholders, working with a safety-first, people-centric yard like R.L. Kalthia means:

• Reduced risk of accidents and operational delays

• Enhanced ESG reporting and audit readiness

• Confidence in ethical and responsible dismantling

Final Thoughts

Empowering the shipbreaking workforce is not only the right thing to do—it’s the smart thing. Safety and skills translate to better performance, reduced environmental impact, and a stronger industry overall. At R.L. Kalthia Ship Breaking Pvt. Ltd., our people are our strength.

Want to learn more or visit our yard? Contact us to see how we lead with safety and skill.

When you look at a massive vessel sailing across the sea, the last thing on your mind is what happens when its journey ends. But at R.L. Kalthia Ship Breaking Pvt. Ltd., that’s exactly where the story begins — and continues in new forms.

What’s truly fascinating about modern ship recycling is not just the safe dismantling of these vessels, but how their components are repurposed, reused, and reborn.

The Journey from Ship to Resource

Ships are floating cities, made of heavy steel, machinery, equipment, wiring, electronics, and even fine wood. When a vessel is retired, almost every part of it can be recovered and put to use again.

At our yard in Alang, this transformation is carefully orchestrated — not as destruction, but as deconstruction with purpose.

Steel: The Star of Ship Recycling

Steel makes up more than 90% of most ships, and it’s incredibly valuable. Once the hull is cut and sorted, the steel is sent to rolling mills, re-smelted, and turned into reinforcement bars, sheets, or industrial parts.

This recycled steel finds its way into buildings, bridges, railways, and new ships — forming a full circle of utility.

Machinery and Parts: A Second Life

Engines, generators, pumps, and compressors are inspected, refurbished, and sold to industries that value dependable, heavy-duty equipment. For many buyers, these parts are cost-effective and built to last.

In the hands of skilled technicians, these components gain a second life in factories, power plants, or other vessels.

The Green Factor

What sets modern yards like ours apart is the ability to perform this recycling safely and sustainably. Materials are not just reused — they’re processed under conditions that protect both people and the environment.

By recycling ships, we help reduce mining, lower energy consumption, and cut emissions associated with producing virgin steel.

Conclusion

Ship recycling is more than an end — it’s a beginning. At R.L. Kalthia Ship Breaking Pvt. Ltd., we ensure that every ship leaves a legacy by becoming part of something new, something useful, and something sustainable.

The maritime world is entering a bold new era. As climate change, sustainability goals, and international regulations gain momentum, green ship recycling has emerged as a powerful solution to reduce the environmental impact of end-of-life vessels. In 2025, global demand for sustainable shipbreaking is accelerating — and India’s ship recycling yards are playing a critical role in this transition.

At the forefront of this movement is R.L. Kalthia Ship Breaking Pvt. Ltd., one of India’s most certified and forward-thinking ship recycling companies, committed to eco-friendly ship dismantling and compliance with IMO regulations 2025.

Why Green Ship Recycling Matters in 2025

Traditionally, shipbreaking has raised concerns over pollution, worker safety, and unregulated dismantling. But the narrative is changing rapidly. In 2025, green ship recycling is not just a trend — it is a regulatory necessity and a corporate responsibility. Here’s why:

• Environmental Protection: Modern ship recycling techniques minimize hazardous waste, reduce carbon footprints, and conserve resources.

• Compliance with IMO and HKC Standards: The Hong Kong International Convention for the Safe and Environmentally Sound Recycling of Ships (HKC) officially entered into force on 26 June 2025, including in India, following its ratification in 2019.

• Stakeholder Pressure: Investors, shipowners, and regulators demand compliance with ESG principles — making sustainable shipbreaking a key decision-making factor.

The Impact of IMO Regulations in 2025

The IMO regulations 2025 have introduced stringent safety, environmental, and labor requirements for ship recyclers. These regulations promote:

• Environmentally sound recycling methods

• Worker health and safety standards

• Transparency and traceability in ship dismantling

The Hong Kong International Convention for the Safe and Environmentally Sound Recycling of Ships (HKC) officially entered into force on 26 June 2025, including in India, following its ratification in 2019.

How R.L. Kalthia Is Leading the Green Revolution

With over 40+ years of experience, R.L. Kalthia Ship Breaking Pvt. Ltd. has emerged as a pioneer in green ship recycling in Alang, India. Our practices are aligned with global sustainability benchmarks and international maritime protocols. Here’s what sets us apart:

• SOC Certification from ClassNK

• HKC-compliant recycling infrastructure

• Waste management systems

• Advanced worker training and safety programs

• Minimal ecological disruption during dismantling

We don’t just recycle ships — we redefine industry standards.

The Future of Sustainable Shipbreaking

As we move deeper into 2025 and beyond, the spotlight will continue to shine on eco-friendly ship dismantling. Global ports, shipowners, and charterers will prioritize working with recycling partners who go beyond compliance to deliver real environmental and social value.

By choosing a certified, green ship recycling yard like R.L. Kalthia, shipowners ensure:

• Responsible asset disposal

• Enhanced brand reputation

• Full alignment with global environmental targets

Final Thoughts

Green ship recycling is not just about dismantling ships — it’s about building a better, cleaner, and safer maritime future. With robust policies like the IMO regulations 2025 and increasing pressure to meet sustainability goals, shipowners must partner with responsible recyclers.

At R.L. Kalthia, we are proud to be leading this transformation — one vessel at a time.

Ship Dismantling and Pre-cleaning of Ships– The dismantling of ships is a global activity. Probably the first one to face challenges of waste management, the shipping industry initiates several means that concentrate on offering negligible impact on the environment. The process of Ship Dismantling and Pre-cleaning of Ships includes breaking the vessels and removing or separating the equipment in use. 

Pre-cleaning refers to the act of cleaning obnoxious liquid from the ship tanks which can lead to hazardous activity if not treated well. For the shipbreaking industry setup, it is necessary for the owner to focus on the process of Ship Dismantling and Pre-cleaning of Ships. The blog particularly focuses on the activation process which is used in the process of pre-cleaning of ships and its dismantling process. 

Comprehensive Requirement of Ship Dismantling and Pre-cleaning of Ships

The ship-breaking industry, although complex, requires the adaptation of many techniques and forms of ship dismantling and pre-cleaning procedures.

The dismantling of ships and their pre-cleaning has somewhat become a necessity to reduce the impact on the environment. The practice was often found in European countries, but in the 1960s, Asia took over and became the major center of ship dismantling and pre-cleaning processes. The current need for ship dismantling is important due to the significant increase in ship maintenance costs. The cost of ships has been rising over time. Pre-cleaning of ships is encouraged for the protection of workers and the safety of the environment from potential pollutant formation caused by the presence of gases and petroleum in it.

Ship Dismantling- A Basic Need

Ships, like commercial products, have an expiry date. The initial period for ships to be in service is around 25-30 years, which is referred to as the “cradle to grave” era.

After that, its use becomes eroded and it profoundly loses its natural elemental strength. With no other options, ship dismantling is the only viable option, which also results in a beneficial recycling process.

The most recent technology utilized in ship dismantling reduces environmental implications while also channeling concern for workers’ safety. One of the most popular topics of the globalization era, ship dismantling is considered to be the best ecological need for the environment and thereby an outstanding opportunity for stabilizing the economic finances of Asian countries.

Green recycling has changed the entire concept of the ship dismantling process. Now shipbreaking companies such as the R.L. Kalthia Ship Breaking Company situated in Alang, Gujarat focus on different ways that benefit the environment and equality initiates the welfare of human health.

Understanding Pre-cleaning of Ships

The pre-cleaning refers to the initial process of cleaning before these are sent for the ship dismantling and the ship-breaking process. 

Pre-cleaning also referred to as the washing of the ship’s tanks helps in the removal of toxins in the beginning stage. It benefits with the removal of the noxious substances present in liquid that offer harm to humans as well as the environment.

The process begins with a normal cleaning of take with either hot water or cold seawater. The prevents marine life damage too. Clean water responds with the removal of various toxins from the tanks and offers a reduction in the elemental presence of petroleum, kerosene, oil, and other gases.

What Justifies the Pre-cleaning Process

The pre-cleaning process took place in several means. Here are some of the optimal reasons that are necessary and considerate for the process of tank cleaning.

• In the tank’s top plating, the process is known to offer the removal of sediments. 

• The process of Ship Dismantling and Pre-cleaning of Ships initiate the clean ballast.

• It benefits the removal of cargo residues as it is a mechanical process.

The Pre-cleaning process happened with two different types of water, hot and cold.

The products found which have more solubility with water can be cleaned using cold water whereas the sticky ones need the use of a hot water removal cleaning process.

The Future with Ship Dismantling and Pre-cleaning Process

Technologies are changing gracefully. Shipping industries are acknowledging the fact of the maintenance of the ecological system. There is constant pressure on the stakeholders to maintain the progressive means of technology that initiate better processes of Ship Dismantling and Pre-cleaning of Ships. 

The international unit of shipbreaking keeps an eye on the industries so they follow the process carefully. 

R.L. Kalthia is a ship-breaking company that follows all the rules and regulations as per the guidelines of international organizations. We are a company of norms and hence our process includes green ship recycling methods, proper orientation of vessels before Ship Dismantling, and Pre-cleaning of Ships, etc. Trusting our firm is beneficial in many ways. We use various technological ship recycling methods that stabilize the protection giant the marine life, and human health and fulfill the demands of other environmental aspects.

The ship recycling journey of Alang shipbreaking yard commenced in the early 1980s, and from 1983 to 2023, it has embarked on a remarkable path. Situated along the Arabian Sea, its strategic geographical location has played a pivotal role in its transformation into Asia’s largest shipbreaking yard. “The Evolution of Alang: The Largest Ship Recycling Yard in the World” offers insight into Alang’s journey toward achieving global recognition as the premier shipbreaking facility.

Over a span of 40 years, Alang has witnessed substantial development in various aspects. The Alang facility encompasses 183 shipbreaking yards stretching over a distance of 14 kilometers or 8.7 miles. In this article, authored by R.L. Kalthia, you will delve into “The Evolution of Alang: The Largest Ship Recycling Yard in the World.” From the 1980s to the 1990s, Alang emerged as a renowned hub for ship recycling. The shipbreaking yard gained global recognition for its cost-effectiveness and adherence to environmental regulations. Alang’s efficiency and grandeur attract both domestic and international buyers seeking to capitalize on the availability of low-priced metal scrap and other materials recovered from shipbreaking.

Promoting Environmental Awareness in Alang for a Sustainable Path Forward

Since the inception of the Alang shipbreaking yard in 1983, R.L. Kalthia has been vigorously working to make ship dismantling more environmentally friendly and sustainable as the shipbreaking industry expanded during the 2000s. With a heightened environmental consciousness, several international organizations launched conventions to establish guidelines for promoting sustainable ship recycling.

The Hong Kong International Convention for the Safe and Environmentally Sound Recycling of Ships, adopted in 2009, aimed to improve worker safety and introduce environmental regulations in the shipbreaking industry. Various measures were implemented to address environmental concerns, including the responsible handling of hazardous materials, contributing to the preservation of the coastal ecosystem. R.L. Kalthia has consistently been proactive in adopting these measures and promoting sustainable ship recycling.

Proactive Regulatory Changes in the Ship Recycling Industry

Ship recycling has long been a concern in developing countries due to the absence of regulations and laws. However, the scenario changed in 2003 when the Indian government introduced the Shipbreaking Code. The introduction of this code marked a significant step in regulating the shipbreaking industry in India.

The Shipbreaking Code aimed to address the following concerns in the shipbreaking industry and enforce environmental regulations:

• Management of hazardous materials.

• Implementation of training and skill development programs for workers.

• Establishment of safe working conditions in shipbreaking yards.

• Proper disposal of waste generated during ship recycling.

• Regular inspections of shipbreaking facilities.

Overcoming Challenges and Promoting Accountability in Ship Recycling

The shipbreaking industry has always faced several challenges. The lack of accountability in ship recycling made it even more difficult for stakeholders to implement environmental regulations during ship dismantling. Despite these challenges, R.L. Kalthia remained committed to continually improving shipbreaking operations between 2000 and 2010. Some of the key challenges faced by shipbreaking yard owners in Alang are as follows:

• Financial hardships encountered by small shipbreaking yards when upgrading infrastructure.

• Difficulty in complying with constantly evolving regulations.

• Limited access to technology.

• Challenges related to waste disposal.

• Inadequate infrastructure to meet environmental regulations.

Constructive feedback received from environmental organizations and international bodies played a vital role in inspiring R.L. Kalthia and other shipbreaking yard owners in Alang to strive for higher safety and environmental standards. Alang has commendably addressed all these challenges by prioritizing compliance with regulations and emphasizing improvements in labor working conditions.

Alang’s Sustainable Shipbreaking Transformation

Despite the challenges and constraints, Alang has made significant progress in implementing environmental regulations in ship dismantling and has become a leader in green ship recycling worldwide. The dedicated efforts of shipbreaking yard owners like R.L. Kalthia to address environmental concerns have further enhanced Alang’s reputation as a promoter of sustainable shipbreaking practices.

Forward-thinking shipyards are rapidly embracing modernization in the shipbreaking process while aligning their facilities with international standards. After 2010, shipbreaking in Alang has evolved significantly, thanks to the launch of the Hong Kong International Convention for Safe and Environmentally Sound Recycling of Ships in 2009. With meaningful discussions on advancing ship recycling practices in Alang, it is poised to become the epicenter of green ship recycling globally.

Conclusion

“The Evolution of Alang: The Largest Ship Recycling Yard in the World” offers crucial insights into the journey of the Alang shipbreaking yard. The Hong Kong International Convention for Safe and Environmentally Sound Recycling of Ships plays a pivotal role in addressing the environmental and safety concerns associated with shipbreaking practices worldwide. It establishes guidelines to enhance worker safety, promote documentation and inventory management, and introduce optimal waste disposal techniques. Alang, with the efforts of shipbreaking yard owners, has successfully maintained its status as the largest shipbreaking yard in the world.

The circular economy is a model that aims to minimize waste in production and consumption. One way to change how ships are recycled is by using a circular economy. This would reduce waste production and promote sustainable resource use. At R.L. Kalthia, we have compiled this blog to dig deeper into the topic “Navigating Sustainability: Ship Recycling in India and the Circular Economy” and give you highly informative insights. Read the blog further to learn more about the various aspects related to ship recycling in India and the circular economy.

Integrating Circular Economy in Ship Recycling

The circular economy can be best described as an eco-friendly economic system that focuses on reducing waste and using resources wisely by cycling, extending product life, intensifying usage, and reducing material and energy waste. This is achieved through practices like digitalization, servitization, sharing solutions, and durable product design. Ship recycling fits perfectly into this approach. It means carefully taking apart old ships and transforming them into valuable raw materials through dismantling and repurposing. It’s a sustainable way to handle end-of-life vessels.

Contrary to the traditional linear model where dismantled ships are considered waste, in the circular economy, ships are perceived as a valuable resource rather than waste. The list of ways through which we can integrate the circular economy into ship recycling is mentioned as follows:

• Establish circular supply chains to prioritize the use of recycled materials.

• Adopt and invest in advanced recycling technologies to minimize waste and negative impact on the environment.

• Practice environmentally friendly ship dismantling techniques.

• Implement extended producer responsibility programs to increase accountability among ship manufacturers.

• Adherence to ship recycling standards and certifications to promote sustainable and circular ship recycling practices.

Growing Ship Recycling Industry in India

India boasts one of the largest ship recycling industries globally, concentrated primarily in Alang. Alang is a coastal town in the western state of Gujarat, home to one of the largest shipbreaking yards in the world. Many shipbreaking yards in Alang, including R.L. Kalthia, have set an example by strictly adhering to international and national guidelines for sustainable ship recycling.

The number of yards in Alang has adopted international standards and has been certified as compliant by leading societies. To address this, we must enforce strict rules and use circular economy strategies in ship recycling.

A Boost to Economic Growth with a Circular Economy

One of the most discussed aspects of the ship recycling industry is the economic boost to a country’s economy. With the implementation of a circular economy and other sustainable shipbreaking practices, the ship recycling industry can be completely transformed. The ship recycling industry in India is not only an environmental ally but also a robust contributor to the nation’s economy.

The sector generates employment opportunities for thousands of workers, from skilled technicians to manual laborers. Millions of people today depend on the ship recycling industry to earn their livelihood. Including the circular economy in ship, recycling will open up new market opportunities for businesses involved in the refurbishment and resale of ship components. Additionally, the sale of salvaged materials adds to the country’s revenue, fostering economic growth in the regions where shipbreaking yards are located. The different ways through which the circular economy can impact economic growth are listed below:

• Employment generation in recycling facilities and refurbishment services.

• Reducing the demand for new materials lowers production costs and boosts resource efficiency.

• Cost savings for ship owners with circular design principles.

Environmental Benefits of the Implementation of Circular Economy

The circular economy benefits all aspects of ship recycling, including the environmental impact. Circular economic practices significantly contribute to reducing the carbon footprint by encouraging sustainable ship recycling practices. Proper management and disposal of hazardous materials reduce pollution to a great extent. The range of environmental benefits offered by the inclusion of the circular economy in the ship recycling industry are briefed below:

• Decrease the amount of waste generated during the ship recycling process.

• Encourage the reuse and recycling of materials.

• Reduce the release of pollutants and contaminants and protect the ecosystem.

• Promote the use of sustainable resources.

Conclusion

By implementing circular economic practices, the Indian ship recycling industry can experience enormous economic benefits. The circular economy also reduces the environmental harm caused by shipbreaking practices. With the advent of sustainable shipbreaking practices and the circular economy, India can set an example of responsible ship recycling practices worldwide.

India has evolved to be a major player in the ship recycling industry. In the heart of India’s ship recycling industry, a transformative wave is reshaping the landscape of steel production – the advent of green steel. With its unparalleled commitment to safe and eco-friendly recycling practices, India is redefining the future of the shipbreaking industry. This blog by R.L Kalthia unravels the story behind this eco-friendly revolution, exploring how ship recycling in India is not only dismantling vessels but also forging a path toward a more sustainable and responsible steel industry. In this blog, you will uncover the journey of green steel through the lens of the Indian ship recycling industry.

India’s ship recycling paradigm is a brilliant blend of economic, environmental, and ethical considerations. With the launch of several international conventions, the shipbreaking yard in India has seen a positive shift in adopting green ship recycling practices. With this blog, we will dig deeper into green steel and its role in forging a sustainable future for the ship recycling industry in India. Read the blog further to know more about green steel and its contribution to making India the center of green ship recycling. 

The Green Steel Impact of Indian Ship Recycling Industry

Green steel, also known as sustainable or low-carbon steel, is produced using methods that minimize environmental impact. Ship recycling is one such method where abandoned end-of-life vessels cater to the huge steel requirements and minimize pollution and other environmental risks. The majority of a ship consists of steel, which can be reclaimed and repurposed for various uses. In India, a significant amount of a ship’s material is recycled or repurposed. A substantial portion of the recycled steel undergoes rerolling, while the remaining steel transforms into profile plates used for flanges and angles. The reuse of steel has positive effects on the environment by minimizing carbon emissions and enhancing the value of steel. This is achieved by reducing the reliance on energy-intensive processes for manufacturing steel.

Benefits of Circular Economy Integration in Shipbreaking Industry in India 

Ship recycling in India embodies the principles of the circular economy. The concept of circular economy in ship recycling focuses on sustainability, resource efficiency, and reduced environmental impact. End-of-life vessels, once considered waste, become valuable reservoirs of raw materials in the shipbreaking industry. Following the principle of a circular economy that aims to reduce waste and maximize resource use by salvaging and repurposing steel from ships, India’s shipbreaking yards contribute to a closed-loop system that reduces the reliance on virgin resources, fostering a sustainable, circular economy. 

The integration of circular economy in ship recycling focuses on maximizing the recovery and reuse of materials from the dismantled ships. The recovery and reuse of recovered materials require less energy and resources than the production of steel from the new raw materials. The range of benefits offered by the integration of a circular economy in ship recycling is mentioned as follows:

• Create employment opportunities 

• Conserve natural resources 

• Reduce the environmental impact

• Decrease the carbon footprint 

Significant Reduction in the Carbon Footprint 

Traditional steel production is notorious for its significant carbon emissions. In contrast, green steel production relies on recycled materials, substantially lowering its carbon footprint. Greenhouse Gas (GHC) emissions from steel recovered from ship recycling are almost one-fifth of the steel produced using conventional methods. Ship recycling in India plays a pivotal role in this shift by providing a source of recycled steel that demands less energy and emits fewer greenhouse gases during production. The list of ways through which green steel positively impacts the environment is mentioned as follows: 

• Lower carbon emissions 

• Reduced water and air pollution

• No harm to marine wildlife or other animal species

• Preservation of oil and landfill.  

Economic and Environmental Harmony with the Advent of Green Steel 

The transition to green steel not only aligns with environmental goals but also fosters economic growth. The recycled steel market provides a sustainable source of raw materials, reducing the industry’s dependency on finite resources. The material recovery, processing, and the development of recycling technologies used in producing green steel also create ample job opportunities and stimulate economic growth. The local communities also benefit from employment opportunities and do not have to migrate to new places in search of a job. 

This economic harmony ensures the long-term viability of the steel sector while preserving the planet’s natural resources. The increased reliance on green steel can bring a paradigm shift in the ship recycling industry. 

Conclusion

As India’s ship recycling industry propels the nation into the era of green steel, the implications are profound. The transformation is not merely a shift in manufacturing processes but a commitment to a sustainable, circular economy that values both economic prosperity and environmental well-being. Through green ship recycling, India is forging a path towards a greener, cleaner future, one steel beam at a time. India’s commitment to maximizing resource utilization stands as a shining example to the world of how green steel is the future of ship recycling.

The ship recycling industry is transforming to adopt more sustainable and eco-friendly practices. To make ship dismantling more sustainable at the global scale it is important to consider the social and economic impacts of ship recycling while ensuring that environmental impacts and worker health are appropriately managed. At R.L. Kalthia, we have compiled a blog post on “Setting Sail for Sustainability: How Training Shapes Eco-Friendly Ship Recycling.” In this blog, we dig deeper into how ship recycling has transformed over the years and the role of training in propagating eco-friendly ship recycling. 

Crucial Role of Training in Eco-Friendly Ship Recycling Practices

Working on end-of-life vessels requires proper training for the proper management of hazardous materials and to ensure the worker’s safety and welfare. The training for eco-friendly ship recycling practices is governed by STCW (Standards of Training, Certification, and Watchkeeping Rules). These rules are amended at regular intervals to ensure that the crew or workforce on the ship is well-trained to work safely onboard a vessel. 

Training plays a crucial role in ensuring that eco-friendly ship recycling practices are implemented throughout the ship dismantling process and the workforce is well-prepared in the face of any accident. To successfully implement sustainable shipbreaking practices, it is important to ensure that proper training is given to make the workforce well-informed, skilled, and committed to adopting practices that minimize the environmental impact of ship dismantling. The key points that emphasize the role of training in propagating eco-friendly ship recycling practices are mentioned as follows: 

• Training helps shipyard workers stay informed and updated about the regulations and latest advancements in the ship recycling industry. 

• Ensure that workers are aware of potential dangers and are fully equipped to protect themselves and their coworkers. 

• Encourage industry professionals to adopt advanced cutting techniques, containment systems, and recycling technologies.

Different Training Programs for Shipyard Workers 

The Directorate General of Shipping has been appointed as an apex body for overseeing the ship recycling activities in India. Gujarat Maritime Board is a regional body that looks over the ship recycling activities at Alang. The Gujarat Maritime Board (GMB) has prepared three different training programs for yard workers to ensure that they are fully prepared to manage the ship dismantling process. Let’s take a look at these three different training programs with the table given below. 

Upon clearing the training programs and verbal/written exams the certificates are issued to the workers as proof of training and skills they learned during that time. These training sessions are conducted free of cost to give priority to the worker’s safety and welfare. In case a worker fails to clear the tests, he/she is required to undergo the training once again. 

Benefits of Training for Eco-Friendly Ship Recycling

To make sustainable ship recycling a living reality it is important to have a workforce well-versed in ship recycling and different activities present in the whole process. Therefore, it is important to make training mandatory for the workers to advocate sustainable approaches that contribute to the overall success of the shipbreaking industry. Training workers in eco-friendly and sustainable ship recycling practices can completely transform shipbreaking activities and offer numerous benefits to the environment and the industry. 

The list of benefits offered by making training an integral part of ship recycling is briefed below: 

• Prevent the release of hazardous substances, thereby contributing to environmental preservation.

• Helps reduce accidents and injuries and improve overall workplace safety for the shipyard workers. 

• Empower workers to adopt advanced techniques and the latest tools. 

• Better equipped to handle various types of waste and implement proper waste management practices. 

Conclusion

Training is a crucial aspect of promoting Eco-Friendly Ship Recycling practices and making it an integral part of shipbreaking. The investment in training shall be encouraged by the government and made a compulsion to ensure the safety and well-being of workers while preparing them for any mishap or accident in the future. It also contributes to global efforts to promote responsible and sustainable business practices. 

Ship recycling is a long-standing practice for dealing with ships at the end of their operational life. The entire process comprises different stages of document review, material management, the dismantling of the ship, decontamination, and several others. In this “‘Ship Recycling 101: Understanding the Basics with RLK,” we will delve deeper into the basics of ship recycling and uncover the different stages of the shipbreaking process. This guide will leave you with a basic understanding of the fundamental concepts of ship recycling, along with the terminology and processes involved.

An Overview of Different Stages of the Ship Recycling Process 

The ship recycling process comprises various stages to simplify the entire process and follow international guidelines. Both the ship and shipyards are required to comply with shipbreaking regulations to meet specific requirements. Before the actual dismantling begins, the ship is thoroughly assessed and cleaned through the decontamination process.

The Ship Recycling Plan (SRP) provides a blueprint for the entire process and for recycling a ship in a safe and environmentally sound manner. After the ship inspections and clearance, the ship is dismantled using various gas-cutting technologies. The recovered material is segregated and sent to the re-rolling mills. The ship recycling facilities (SRF) are cleaned, and the entire process is documented and reported with a baseline report. Refer to the table below for an overview of the entire ship recycling process. 

A Paradigm Shift with Green Ship Recycling

The perils of shipbreaking to the environment and shipyard workers have always been a matter of international concern. Green ship recycling brought a paradigm shift in the maritime industry as it involves towing a ship to a dock for dismantling, instead of breaking it down on the beach. This way the toxins released during shipbreaking were prevented from flowing into the ocean and impacting the marine animals. 

Green ship recycling allowed the shipyard owners to easily identify, store and safely dispose of those parts of the vessels that are hazardous to both human and marine lives. To fully comprehend the basics of ship recycling knowing about green ship recycling is also important. 

Future Trends and Innovation in Shipbreaking Industry 

The future of the shipbreaking industry paves its way through green ship recycling and a circular economic approach. The circular economic approach focuses on reducing waste and using resources wisely by cycling, extending product life, intensifying usage, and reducing material and energy waste. The latest technological advancements such as automation can completely change the way shipbreaking is conducted all across the globe.  

These new trends and innovations can further reduce the release of pollutants and contaminants and protect the ecosystem while promoting sustainable resources. Some of the key benefits of these new trends including automation, green ship recycling, and circular economy to the shipbreaking industry are briefed below: 

• Increased dependence on the reuse and recycling of resources 

• Minimize the environmental impact of Shipbreaking 

• Less risk of accidents and pollution 

• Increased safety and welfare of shipyard workers. 

Conclusion 

Ship recycling is a comprehensive process including various stages. The knowledge of these fundamental concepts will help you gain a better understanding of the shipbreaking process and its several stages. Besides, the basics we have also elaborated on the various important concepts related to ship recycling. With ‘Ship Recycling 101: Understanding the Basics with RLK,’ you will get a comprehensive breakdown of the journey of a ship from arriving at the shipyard until getting recycled.

The ship recycling industry has been a dependable way of disposing of the aging global shipping fleet. Many steps have been taken to make the whole process more sustainable and environmentally sound. At R.L. Kalthia we have a comprehensive guide on why we encourage more ship owners to embrace green ship recycling and how it can be adapted to shipbreaking activities. The blog will introduce you to different ways of shifting to green ship recycling and the role of regulatory bodies in promoting green ship recycling across the globe. 

Increased Focus on the Green Ship Recycling 

Green ship recycling is a concept that aims to make shipbreaking more sustainable and reduce marine pollution. The concept gained popularity in the ship recycling industry as the concern over the environmental impact of ship recycling. Numerous efforts have been made at both the international and national levels to encourage more ship owners to green ship recycling. India is the world’s largest green recycling destination, with many numbers of yards holding statements of compliance with the Hong Kong Convention. The Government of India has been working to improve the standards of ship recycling yards.

Identifying the factors affecting green ship recycling has been an essential process that ships recycling companies and policymakers can use to guide the ship dismantling process. in an environmentally sound way. The focus has been shifted to green ship recycling and several attempts have been made to encourage shipyard owners and shipbuilding companies to adopt the practices.

Integrating Green Ship Recycling in the Shipbreaking Activities

Green ship recycling has gained popularity with increased awareness among shipbreaking yards. With gradual adoption by shipbreakers in developing countries, green ship recycling will become the norm and take the shipbreaking industry by storm. Green ship recycling will slowly and steadily become the new reality in the ship disposal system.

With global initiatives, green ship recycling is increasingly encouraged. Unlike, conventional shipbreaking that happens alongside the beach, in green ship recycling the ship is dragged to a dock where it is dismantled. This prevents the flow of toxic chemicals into the ocean.

Role of Regulatory Compliances in Propagating Green Ship Recycling 

Once the need to regulate the shipbreaking process was recognized many regulatory bodies and conventions were launched. The regulations have a key role in addressing the environmental, economic, and social impacts of the shipbreaking industry. The implementation of these guidelines promotes responsible ship recycling contributes to the conservation of the marine environment and also protects worker rights and safety. Some of the key organizations working to establish green ship recycling standards are mentioned as follows: 

• International Maritime Organization (IMO)

• Basel Convention

• European Union (EU) Ship Recycling Regulation

• International Labor Organization (ILO)

• Hong Kong International Convention for the Safe and Environmentally Sound Recycling of Ships

Economic Benefits of Greenship Recycling 

Besides, the environmental benefits, green ship recycling also offers economic benefits. The ship recycling industry significantly impacts the local supply chain and promotes production in ancillary industries. The growth of this industry directly impacts economic growth, creates business opportunities, fosters innovation, and increases the overall development of industries. By promoting green ship recycling practices ship owners can further get several economic advantages such as: 

• Green ship recycling can recover and sell valuable materials, thereby cutting the cost of buying new raw materials. 

• Greenship recycling can reduce disposal costs.

• With higher resale values for ships sustainable ship recycling can ensure higher resale values for ships.

• Steel recovered through ship recycling can have one-fifth of the greenhouse gas emissions of steel recovered through conventional mining.

• Ship recycling can reduce reliance on the steel industry with the advent of a circular economy. 

Conclusion 

Greenship recycling has been highly promoted after the launch of the Hong Kong Convention and regulatory bodies. At R.L. Kalthia we encourage more ship owners to embrace green ship recycling for the systematic disposal of hazardous materials, sustainable shipbreaking, and integration of a circular economy.

Shipbreaking is an elaborate process comprising several stages and steps. The presence of hazardous substances and lack of safety measures make it difficult to comply with the safety and environmental regulations in the ship recycling industry. We at R.L. Kalthia have compiled a highly informative blog on How to Recycle an Old Vessel – Safely and Sustainably. We have given a comprehensive stance on the journey of end-of-life vessels in a shipyard. You will also learn about different techniques to make ship recycling safer and more sustainable.

Different Steps Involved in Safe and Sustainable Ship Recycling

Ship recycling is an elaborate process involving different stages. The process begins with the contract for ship recycling that shall meet the requirements as per the HKC and/or the EU SRR and its guidelines, the IHM, the ship recycling facility plan (SRFP), SRP, SoC. The ship is then prepared for shipbreaking, and an Inventory of hazardous materials (IHM) is prepared to list all the hazardous materials present onboard.

This is followed by the preparation of a Ship recycling plan (SRP) as per the MEPC.196(62). The SRP shall reflect the specific IHM and provide licensed disposal and recycling solutions for all materials listed in the IHM. After the approval of the SRP, the shipbreaking of the old vessel begins. The ship is dismantled using sustainable practices in a shipyard. After the completion of shipbreaking, a Statement of Completion (SoC) is issued by the relevant authority. Some of the different steps involved in safe and sustainable ship recycling are listed below:

Step 1: Contract for ship recycling
Step 2: Preparation of Inventory of hazardous materials (IHM)
Step 3: Ship recycling plan (SRP) development
Step 4: SRP approval process
Step 5: Approval of SRP by relevant authorities
Step 6: Report and the start of ship recycling
Step 7: Statement of Completion (SoC)

International Regulations and Standards for Sustainable Ship Recycling

To set standards for safe and sustainable ship recycling, many international and national conventions have been launched. The Hong Kong Convention and EU Ship Recycling Regulation are the two major conventions launched to set standards in the ship recycling industry. The EU Ship Recycling Regulation made it mandatory to have an Inventory of Hazardous Materials (IHM) onboard until the end of 2020.

The Hong Kong Convention has been adopted in 15 countries so far, including Norway, Congo, France, Belgium, Panama, Denmark, and Turkey. Both conventions impose responsibilities on ship owners, ship recycling facilities (SRF), and authorities for the safe and sound recycling of ships. The key impact of these international regulations is outlined below:

• Raise awareness through training, workshops, and capacity-building programs

• Foster collaboration with industry stakeholders, government, and civil societies to promote sustainable ship practices.

• Provide technical assistance and financial support to developing countries to improve their ship recycling infrastructure

• Keep a check on shipbreaking activities in the region where environmental and social concerns are prevalent.

Prioritizing Worker’s Safety and Welfare in Ship Recycling

The key steps that are taken to ensure the safety of workers while dealing with hazardous substances on the ship are outlined below:

• Identifying Potential Hazards in Shipbreaking

• Mandating the use of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) during shipbreaking

• Implement strict safety protocols and procedures at all stages of shipbreaking

• Establish health monitoring systems to address any immediate health concerns

• Implement measures to control and manage environmental risks

• Conduct regular inspections of equipment, machinery, and the work environment to avoid any mishaps and accidents.

Wrapping Up!

The international conventions and emphasized focus on worker safety have transformed the ship recycling industry worldwide. With the combined efforts of international organizations, governments, industry stakeholders, and civil society, old vessels can be recycled safely and sustainably. The shipyards shall be encouraged to strictly follow the rules and regulations laid by various international organizations.

Ships at the end of their lifecycle become a treasure trove of metal scrap, highly valuable in the global steel market. The revenue generated from selling the scrap material not only boosts the economy but also contributes to material recycling. To give you a clear idea of how aging ships benefit the Scrap Metal Recycling Industry, we at R.L. Kalthia have compiled this comprehensive blog. In this blog, you will learn more about the present market scenario of the ship scrapping industry, the craft metal provided by single end-of-life vessels, and much more.

Present Market Scenario of the Ship Scrap Market

The international ship scrap market flourishes due to high demand from the steel industry. The steel recovered from ships is mostly used in re-rolling mills or remelting. The ship scrap market is highly dominated by countries in the sub-continent and China. The long coastlines and availability of cheap labor have made these countries favorable for ship beaching. As most countries in this region are deficient in power, steel provides an easy route for manufacturing reinforcement bars, angles, etc., used in the construction industry. India plays a crucial role in the small ships market. These ships are easier to dismantle, and credit exposure is limited, making all conditions favorable. Recently, the ship scrap market in India has imposed considerations for the quality of ship scrap.

A Brief Overview of Recoveries from Ship Demolition

In the realm of ship demolition, the recovery process yields a diverse array of materials essential for various industries. As vessels undergo dismantling, a significant portion of the resulting scrap is of re-rollable quality, constituting a substantial share of the recovered resources. Alongside this, a smaller yet noteworthy portion comprises steel melting scrap and cast-iron scrap, each contributing to the resource pool. Despite their lesser presence, non-ferrous scrap materials also find their way into the recovery mix, albeit in minimal quantities. Moreover, the process yields a considerable amount of equipment and machinery, alongside a moderate volume of items such as wood and furniture. However, it’s essential to note that a notable proportion is lost during burning and cutting processes, including damages incurred. Nonetheless, this comprehensive recovery process ensures that valuable materials are salvaged and repurposed, playing a vital role in sustaining various sectors, particularly construction and manufacturing.

Benefits of Aging Ships for the Metal Recycling Industry

The market for ship scrap is driven by the demand for construction activity in the country. The structural steel of a ship makes up the majority of its weight and provides a substantial amount of scrap steel for steel mills. The metal recovered from aging ships significantly reduces energy use and is reused for new products. Ship recycling also lowers manufacturing costs by providing reusable parts for new ships, such as bars, ingots, pipes, and plates. It not only impacts the economy but also offers enormous environmental benefits.

Metal recovered from ships leaves a smaller environmental impact than mining and extracting metals from ore. The range of benefits of aging ships for the metal recycling industry is mentioned as follows:

• Creates jobs and stimulates economic growth.

• Reduces the amount of waste that ends up in landfills.

• Keeps metals out of landfills, where the toxins within them pose serious risks to the soil and water.

• Helpful in saving the energy used to produce recovered metal from raw materials.

• Reduces greenhouse gas emissions and uses less energy than producing metal from mineral ore.

Conclusion

Aging ships are no less than a gold mine for the scrap metal recycling industry. Ship recycling offers an economical yet valuable source of re-rolling and remelting steel scrap. This metal scrap is highly beneficial in cutting down manufacturing costs and extracting metal from the actual source. Besides the economic advantages, it also helps in reducing the environmental impact of extracting other raw materials.

The shipbreaking industry is one such sector in developing countries that has always been the center of attention for its environmental impacts and economic opportunities. Recycling ships is by far the most environmentally friendly and economically sound way of disposing of or dismantling end-of-life vessels. “From Ocean to Opportunity: The Economics of Ship Breaking,” prepared by R.L. Kalthia, gives you a glimpse into the significance of ship recycling in global trade, several economic drivers of shipbreaking, and future trends and innovations in the shipbreaking industry.

Economic Drivers in the Shipbreaking Industry 

Steel scraps comprise the majority of ship recycling revenues in terms of tonnage. However, the most lucrative revenue is earned from non-ferrous items, including engines, furniture, etc. The ship recycling mode of ship disposal leads to enormous economic benefits and provides employment opportunities and raw materials to other industries.

The economic aspects of shipbreaking can be classified into raw material extraction, employment opportunities, and the impact on local economies. The raw materials and metal scraps recovered from ship recycling compensate for a huge demand for re-rolling steel in construction and other industries. Several small and medium enterprises, including light and heavy engineering industries, rely upon the re-rolling steel of the ship recycling industries. The key economic drivers for the shipbreaking industry are summarized below:

• Offer employment opportunities in regions with high unemployment rates.

• Play a key role in the skill development of workers by conducting training programs.

• Promote infrastructure development in the surrounding areas of the shipyards.

• Stimulate the growth of supporting industries such as logistics, transportation, and support services.

• Reduce reliance on the steel industry.

Impact of Regulatory Norms on the Economics of Shipbreaking

The major potential of shipbreaking yards in developing countries can be attributed to the large number of migrant workers. The shipbreaking yards generate significant revenue for the state and contribute enormously to the steel requirements of India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh. The regulatory norms launched at the international and national levels influence the operational practices, compliance costs, and market dynamics of the shipbreaking economy. The different shipbreaking regulations playing a key role in shaping the economics of shipbreaking are briefed below:

Shifting Dynamics in the Economics of Shipbreaking in India 

The Recycling Act 2019 has been a breakthrough in the economics of the Indian shipbreaking industry. The Act propagates the adoption of the Hong Kong Convention (HKC) in shipyard facilities, facilitating an eco-friendly ship recycling process and ensuring the welfare of yard workers. These changes have put India at the center of the global shipbreaking scenario. These government initiatives are expected to give India a huge share of the world’s shipbreaking since many nations would prefer to send their ships to India.

Wrapping Up! 

The shipbreaking industry has always been lauded for its economic benefits and the economic boost it offers to developing nations. However, it is high time to shift attention to balancing the economic benefits with environmental and ethical considerations. With government initiatives and the introduction of the Recycling Act 2019, the future of shipbreaking in India seems promising.

The ship recycling industry has become an integral part of the global economy, with a direct impact on employment, revenue, and raw material supply. The uphill battle of making shipbreaking sustainable for the environment has been made possible by the consistent efforts of international and national regulatory authorities. In this blog prepared by R.L. Kalthia, we will delve deeper into how the Green Ship Recycling Industry Can Save the Environment and several steps taken to achieve this. We have vividly discussed several steps taken to regulate shipbreaking practices and the impact they have, along with several authorities laying down the guidelines.

The Change Brought By Green Ship Recycling

The concept of green ship recycling was introduced to address the environmental challenges posed by the ship recycling industry. The implementation of green ship recycling brought a revolution in the maritime industry by encouraging shipyard owners to adopt greener technologies, implement stricter safety and environmental regulations, and promote sustainable ship recycling practices. These measures have immensely contributed to changing the global shipbreaking scenario, reducing the environmental impact, and enhancing the safety and sustainability of the global shipping industry.

Green ship recycling touches upon various concerns of safety, environmental impact, and economic considerations in the ship recycling industry. Shipyard owners, stockists, and shipbreaking companies are all encouraged to adopt these green ship recycling practices while making them more sustainable. The major green ship recycling practices encouraged at an international level are briefed below:

• Efficient waste management or waste disposal

• Emphasis on worker safety and welfare

• Safe handling and disposal of hazardous materials

• Adherence to regulatory compliances and pollution preventive measures

• Promoting the reuse and recycling of materials

Innovations and Technologies Used in Green Ship Recycling

The impact of continuous research and development in technology can also be seen in the ship recycling industry. These innovations and advancements in technologies have the potential to further improve safety, efficiency, and environmental outcomes in ship recycling. These innovations are also useful to address the current challenges in the shipbreaking industry and offer solutions for a sustainable future.

The use of cutting-edge technologies, such as artificial intelligence (AI) for process optimization, advanced sensor technologies for material identification, and more efficient methods for hazardous material removal, is being actively adopted by stakeholders and shipyard owners. Other green technologies, such as cutting torches, plasma cutters, and shearing machines, are being used to disassemble ships in a controlled and efficient manner.

Paving the Way for Sustainability With Green Passport

Among the various steps taken to make ship recycling more sustainable, green passports stand out as particularly revolutionary. The Green Passport includes details of all materials, especially those that are harmful to human health, used in the construction of a vessel. It allows ship owners and operators to document hazardous materials on board their ships and prepare for their proper and safe disposal.

Conclusion

Green ship recycling holds the potential to completely transform the ship recycling industry’s approach. However, it is only possible with the integration of emerging technologies, adherence to circular economy principles, and collective efforts of stakeholders and shipyard owners to bring about change at the global level. The trajectory of the ship recycling industry is not predetermined; rather, it is shaped by the steps taken today.

Impermeable Floor at the Ship Recycling Facilities in India– The afterlife of the ship is spent in the shipbreaking yard where they are recycled using various types of techniques. All of the ships of country India are sent to Alag which consists of the biggest ship recycling yards and uses various types of techniques to uplift the procedure. The important aspect to consider while getting the ships done with the recycling procedure is to have the Impermeable flooring that supports the process thereby controlling the oil seepage into the oceans. Each and every yard comprises Concrete Impermeable Flooring to follow the international standards of the environmental protection policy.

Impermeable Floor at the Ship Recycling Facilities in India-

What is Concrete Impermeable Flooring?

The needful investment a Ship Breaking Company does is to have the facility of Impermeable Floor at the Ship Recycling Facilities in India. Fulfilling the internal market demands, it is Hong Kong Convention (HKC) compliant that is known to build Concrete Impermeable Flooring across the country near the beach areas.

Stating the mechanism, an Impermeable Floor constitution of the concrete mixture develops a strong and strengthening floor which prevents this ship’s oil float into the water around the recycling yards. This is a whole level of process that maintains the waste recycling process in a healthy manner towards the environment and now, it is a compulsion for each and every breaking yard to opt for the methods to sustainably protected the environment.

Process Involved in the Construction of Impermeable Floors

Impermeable Floors at the Ship Recycling facilities in India are constructed with material that has a heavy base and strength. For the initial process, the construction of Concrete Impermeable Flooring involves the use of concrete management that consists of plain cement concrete, reinforced cement concrete, and coarse sand along with multiple layers of gravel too. All of these items make the base strengthen in order the prevent the material get drained into the seawater.

Looking at the maintenance of the standards, there are several Ships Breaking yards that use several layers of the geomembrane because of the wide area and for the more powerful Concrete Impermeable Floorings too.

The geomembrane in Impermeable Flooring consists of Linear Low-Density Polyethylene (LLDPE) and High-Density Polyethylene (HDPE) which are classified as synthetic materials that insist on the criteria of tear resistance, leakage proof, and impact resistance features for the Concrete Impermeable Floor. This ensures the zero seepage policy, thereby providing a guarantee that no oil would come in contact with the soil or the water in the place.

Impermeable Floor at the Ship Recycling Facilities in India

The Shipbreaking companies consist of geomembrane Concrete Impermeable flooring techniques that insist on strength maintenance as per locked by the international communities.

Holding the best machinery namely the American 9310 Cranes, the ship-breaking companies lift the heavy blocks of ships with a heavy capacity of 225mt with a 150 ft boom directly onto the Impermeable floor. As the blocks can presently leak oils, hence the use of Concrete Impermeable Floors is a necessity in the purposeful time.

Impermeable Floors

Protection for the Concrete Floors

Although the Impermeable Floor at the Ship Recycling Facilities in India is strong enough to take the forces of the heavy ship blocks there comes a requirement for the protection of the Concrete Impermeable Floor to maintain their strength in every corner which consists of the cutting of the heavy blocks and the leakage materials, the floors are covered with steel beds. This offers tremendous support and maintains strength and this also not just offers protection but maintains the strength for the long life of the Impermeable Floor

R.L. Kalthia’s Ship-Breaking Yard

R.L Kalthia is the biggest Ship recycling yard situated in Alang, Gujrat. This one holds the capacity of recycling multiple ships over a period of time and with a strong dedication toward the protection of the environment, it holds multiple levels of management systems for the Concrete Impermeable Floorings. We have a boast of 2295 sq mt front yards which is enough for the purpose of recycling each and every variety of the ships as per the stands and along with that, the VLCCs are also included in the part.

Conclusion

Getting your ships recycled by the best company is important as these follow the environmental protection policies seriously. The Impermeable Floor at the Ship Recycling Facilities in India has developed over the period of time. With the great layers of Geomembrane along with the protection of steel plates, the process of recycling becomes more stable and easy. Each and every waste of the ship such as gases, rust, and other particles are cleaned from the Concrete Impermeable floors The muster stations, and emergency exits are provisionally provided in the Impermeable floors to protect the workers from the impacts.

Carbon Reduction Strategies in Ship-Breaking Operations-The focus of all the leading ship-breaking companies is to use techniques that help in the sustainable maintenance of the environment and along with this, the dead ships can also be recycled in a better form. Looking at the suitable causes of waste management, the more it is important, the more flexibly it can be done using the improvised methods of the revolutionized society. There are certain aspects such as the ways of Carbon Reduction Strategies in Ship-Breaking Operations which promote greenhouse safety and offer curable results too.

Why is Important to use Carbon Reduction Emission Techniques?

While putting the machinery for the purpose of Carbon Reduction Strategies in Ship-Breaking Operations, it becomes an important resource to use the techniques that work in the favor of the environment. The notable feature of the purpose of the use of carbon emission techniques is that it provides an advantage to our environment to protect it from the excessive issue of greenhouse effects.

As far as the concern. the knowledge stands of the criteria of cause pollution of air, whichever method is used by the person or for the matter the ship-breaking companies, that indirectly leads to the problems of the pollution one needs to maintain the environment and reduce the effect of climatic change. With the correct use of carbon reduction emission techniques, the companies are taking a step forward to reduce the effects of pollutants causing harm to the air such as fine particulate matter (PM2.5). The beneficial use of this promotes better air quality and offers protection to our environment.

Effective Carbon Reduction Strategies at R.L. Kalthia Ship Breaking Company

We at R.L. Kalthia Ship Breakin Company vision of protecting the environment with the literal cause and supports the use of techniques that have helped us over the years to perform the mission of stabilizing the issue of nature imbalance. We believe that is it our responsibility to serve nature and take only what we deserve which is why at the glance are using simplified yet innovative Carbon reduction strategies in ship-breaking operations in order to achieve our motive thereby forming a shield for coverage.

Here is the list of the balanced techniques that we are using are our ship-breaking yard

Better and Stable Recycling Methods

As our company offers to support the ship breaking through the process of ship recycling techniques hence we use capable machinery to function on the basic techniques of Carbon Reduction emission. We tend to recycle each and every part of the ship in a better form so one can be reused safely.

Renewable Resources

Our company states the associative criteria under which our mission is to use all the possible renewable resources which are offered for ship-breaking companies to use in the recycling process. For this motive, we use solar power panels to generate electricity and use them in our Carbon reduction strategies in ship-breaking operations.

Carbon Offset Project

R.L Kalthia being the best ship-breaking company situated in Alang, Gujarat is supporting the investment in carbon offset projects that offer great support in balancing the environment and reducing the effects of the greenhouse. It has supported many projects that are working on carbon emission strategies and boosting them on daily basis.

Carbon Reduction Strategies in Ship-Breaking Operations

New Generation Machinery

Our machinery for the purposes of ship recycling method we use modern equipment that helps us not just in ship breaking but also releases fewer greenhouse gases. The role of a machine is very important only because the older it gets the poor the working condition it implies. The role of improvised robotic equipment is very much considerable for Carbon reduction strategies in ship-breaking operations.

R.L. Kalthia took this initiative years ago and since then it is known to be the best one among all its competitors. Carbon reduction strategies in ship-breaking operations are important and have to be utilized by each one so we can together stand to protect the environment. The company has a strong approach toward the environment and use sustainable method to improve its approach, the organization is very much aware of its community responsibility hence with each passing day, it is improvising its techniques and training its workforce too.

Looking at the current mechanism of the ship-breaking companies, each one follows a dignified set of rules and regulations by understanding and maintaining The Requirements and Standards Outlined in the Hong Kong Convention. The model state that one needs to look after the environment and with full responsibility towards society should use equipment that promotes nature-friendly processes. Most of the shipbreaking yards are situated in the state of Gujarat in Alang and following the terminology about the Requirements and Standards Outlined in the Hong Kong Convention, they are maintaining their rooted business by using methods that nearly cause no harm to the environment.

Transformation by Hong Kong Convention

The Hong Kong Convention was taken in the process in the years 2009 during the conference held in China and Hong Kong. In the conference, it was over 63 counties that took part and moved forwards with the pledge to protect the environment and maintain the safety of the air we breathe and the water of the ocean too. There were certain Requirements and Standards Outlined in the Hong Kong Convention that were discussed than are now became a compulsion to follow.

Requirements and Standards Outlined in the Hong Kong Convention

It is indeed that the world of ship-breaking companies has improved its unit over the period of time a lot of the credit goes to the mandatory aspects suggested by the Hong Kong Convention. This aims at making the resources that offer complete protection to the environment along with optimizing the ship-breaking yard with better protection which is mandatory to support human health and reduce the factors which cause inappropriate risk attention. The team of the Hong Kong Convention regulates site visits thereby taking regular follow-ups from the shipping company owner to see whether each one is following The Requirements and Standards Outlined in the Hong Kong Convention.

The Requirements and Standards Outlined in the Hong Kong Convention the Shipping Companies

The main work of the company owner is to establish the source that provides the benefiting responses to the ship workers. Under the establishment of the Hong Kong Conventional, its standards state the shipping yards must consist of lightweight machinery that must not cause harm to the people working around it, it should support the environment at the same time too. The guidance issued for the Requirements and Standards Outlined in the Hong Kong Convention has possibly made the work easy and promoted the process of nature’s protection too.

Listed Standards and Requirements of the Hong Kong Convention

Here is the standard maintained by the company as its vision on the terminology of taking part in the maintenance of environment-friendly sources and along with that it also looks after the worker’s needs. Below we have listed the follow-ups that are proceeded with in the ship-breaking yards.

Plan for the Ship Recycling- 2011 Guideline Adopted by Ship-Recycling Company

The Recycling companies require to present a plan that must acquire the Requirements and Standards Outlined in the Hong Kong Convention. Each of the ships that have to be recycled should be done in a manner that promotes a better outcome for protection and along with this, the rust bought up by the recycling units has to be taken care of without the disposal of in the water.

Ship Recycling Site Policy – 2012 Guideline by Convention

The Requirements and Standards Outlined in the Hong Kong Convention consist of the mandatory maintenance of the Ship Recycling Yard. The operations are maintained in a manner that the new and improvised technology machine has to use in the place with no harmful cause to the labor unions. It is compulsory for ship recycling companies to associate with machinery that is strong enough to lift heavy vessels and sustainable enough to protect the environment to produce fewer carbon emissions. Frequent check for the site has to be done and the repair if needed in any area has to be done with priority.

Sound-friendly Recycling System- 2012 Guideline Adopted by Resolution

The conversion states that the companies must use a substance that specializes in producing less sound in the environment. It is mandatory to choose the sources which are manufactured in a manner to they must not associate with the loud sound generation. This is an important act of the Requirements and Standards Outlined in the Hong Kong Convention.

Inspection of the Recycled Ship- 2012 Guideline Outlined by the Convention

Each of the ships that are being recycled and undergoing the process of stability must need a check that has to be done as per the suggestion of the Requirements and Standards Outlined in the Hong Kong Convention. This offers clarity and provides a faster stander too thereby providing our environment with less harm.

Prohibited Use of Hazardous Material- 2015 Guideline by Hong Kong Convention

One of the important Requirements and Standards Outlined in the Hong Kong Convention is that the team associated with the Convention keeps a check that each of the ship-breaking companies must not comply with the machinery that causes harmful effects to the site and the people too. It is a strict instruction from the convention center to use modern equipment that specializes in producing fewer gases in the air.

Wrapping Up!

R.L. Kalthia is a ship-breaking company that has over the years mainstem its standards of following the norms of the Requirements and Standards Outlined in the Hong Kong Convention. With the vision of providing the safety of the community and stabilizing the work of the force, it is making each and every legal stand to uplift the health of its staff. The company is associated with each organization that promotes the supporting factors to prevent the pollution caused in the environment.

The Impact of the Hong Kong Convention on Shipowners, Shipbreakers, and Other Stakeholders- The Hong Kong Convention police have changed the medium of people working in a restricted manner. Now they are involved in making the vitalizing transformation to evolve their process of recycling methods. This environment-friendly policy has resisted the notifying methods of the process which work by either causing almost negligible harm to nature or almost doesn’t cause any harm. This has made people use techniques that offer sound-free technology, along with better recycling units such as those with reduced carbon emissions. This has offered better ways to ship-breaking companies but on the other level, it has cost them too as The Impact of the Hong Kong Convention on Shipowners, Shipbreakers, and other Stakeholders has been noticed in recent years.

A Thoughtful Step of HongKong Convention in the Ship Recycling Industry

The Hong Kong Convention is a technological innovation adopted in the year 2009 and since then it is channelizing a safer environment for not just nature but also the workers too. The impact of the Hong Kong Convention on shipowners, shipbreakers, and other stakeholders is indeed astonishing as with the force implementation that has now adopted the methods by which they can work without harming the surrounding. The main focus of the conventions is to educate the shipbreaking company owner to look after the environment and helps them focus on Soundproof recycling techniques along with the implementation of the imperials flooring too that helps in controlling the flow of rust into the water. It has taken care of the people working around too and introduces electric vehicles in order to help in the less generation of carbon emission.

Impact of the Hong Kong Convention on People Related to Shipping Company

Talking about the Impact of the Hong Kong Convention on shipowners, shipbreakers, and other stakeholders, well it has indeed elected their ways of working, the main switch was the change of their comfort zone but this convention has totally proven to be grateful for the people who have been linked with eth business of shipping in the country. The known factor is the R.L. Kalthia Ship Breaking Company has had to adopt the measures of the Hong Kong Convention since the time it came into force and with effective work techniques it primarily focuses on the preservation of the environment and looking at its worker’s health with a priority as it was always.

Better Vision Towards the Environment

The impact of the Hong Kong Convention on shipowners, shipbreakers, and other stakeholders has proven to be the best one for the shipping owner along with their work we are always concerned about working in a mechanism that helps the environment whether directly or indirectly. But now since 2009, the Hong Kong Convention Act has been implemented, and each one is more focused on using techniques that provide comfort to the environment.

The Application of Soundproof Machinery for Ship Recycling

With the evolution in time technology has changed its medium and looking at the impactful application of the Hong Kong Convention, the company owners of the shipping field have made out their way to use the recycling equipment that offers the generation of sound on an extremely low level. This necessarily provides the prevention of sound pollution and also keeps the health of its workers strong.

Acceptance of the Carbon Emission Techniques

A step taken by the shipping owner for just to protect the environment but also for the community people living in it is the permanent alliance with eth Carbon Emission Techniques. This offers protection from greenhouse gases and maintains the quality of air by controlling the release of tiny particles which promise the gas formation in the air we breathe. The great impact of the Hong Kong Convention on shipowners, shipbreakers, and other stakeholders as now there are much aware of measures that will protect their health.

Management of the Hazardous Material

Hong Kong Convention has stated that any vessel that is above 500 kg must be disposed of in a manner that does not cause any harm to human health including the environment. Along with this, it is noted that any of material that is not beneficial for the purpose will not be used instead it will be disposed of in a manner that it must not harm people. This is an amazing outcome of the impact of the Hong Kong Convention on shipowners, shipbreakers, and other stakeholders

Conclusion

The companies have taken a decision to offer safety to the environment in the prime most manner and with the impact of the Hong Kong Convention on shipowners, shipbreakers, and other stakeholders, it has turned out to be the well provisional resource that one could get looking at the demands of the community and the safety level of the environment. It is the responsibility of the shipping owner to implement less and care for its labor staff that is working hard on the ship recycling process. R.L. Kalthia is one such ship-breaking company that takes care of the health of society and visioning the making a layer of protection for the environment.

Hong Kong Convention for Ship Recycling– A plan that was implemented in the year 2009 has completely changed the functioning of shipbreaking companies by offering techniques that can help them save the environment. The activation of the convention was necessary as the recycling yards were using hazardous materials and following the old-age methods that combine loud sound machinery that generated the higher level of greenhouse gases. All this, when combined, turned out to be harmful and produced particles that populated the air and severely affected the health of laborers working on the ship recycling port. The establishment of the Hong Kong Convention for Ship Recycling has worked in the favor of nature and helped it preserve. Over the years of time now with the successful implementation, the ship workers, ship recycling owners, and ship stalk holders all are equally concerned for the motive of protection of the environment.

Adoption of the Hong Kong Convention for Ship Recycling

The adoption of the Hong Kong Convention took place in the year 2009, May at Diplomatic Conference in Hong Kong. The primary motive of the convention of ship recycling was to control the spread of Transboundary Movements of Hazardous Wastes and their Disposal too. The criteria of it were suggested by some of the nongovernmental organizations and the IMO Member States. The ramifications of the convention were considered the best one in order to support the health issue of the labor workers. Plenty of organizations took place in the situation and demands the safety of the environment which eventually get noticed and people soon adopted the Hong Kong Convention for Ship Recycling.

The Agreement Made by Hong Kong International Convention for the Safe and Sound Environment.

The decision of the Hong Kong Convention for Ship Recycling was a very sensitive topic and it only took place with a deep search and discussions too. There was an agreement that was signed by each ship-breaking company owner which sets the compulsion implementation of the resource. There were several articles in the convention which have been described below.

Article 1 – General Obligations

• Each party must fulfill the criteria suggested and needed to look after the process of the safety of human health by preventing serious injuries, and adverse effects on the environment and the humans too.

• One must not cause any hurdle in the process of the implementation of the convention and take the advice of protecting the environment very seriously.

• The party needs to provide their respective concert and accept the implementation of the Hong Kong Convention.

• The parties must always use improvised technology machinery in order to save the planet.

• Until further changes, one needs to follow the ones which are deeply suggested.

Article 2- Definition of the Elements

• “Convention” –  Hong Kong International Convention for the Safe and
  Environmentally Sound Recycling of Ships, 2009.

• “Authority” – The government that provides the authority for legalizing the shipbreaking company.

• “Organization” – International Maritime Organization.

• “Committee” – Marine Environment Protection Committee of the Organization.

• “Ship” – It means Vessels of any type and any weight.

• “Hazardous Material” – Any material that is harmful to human health and the environment.

• “Ship Recycling” – This means any material that can be reused and recovered with care.

• “Ship Recycling Facility” – It is used for the ship recycling yard.

• “Recycling Company” – That deals in the process of ship breaking and ship recycling procedures.

Article 3- Applications

• The ship owners must be registered under the law of their state government.

• The process has to be followed with the procedure mentioned in the jurisdiction.

• Hong Kong Convention for Ship Recycling is not for vessels less than 500 GT

Article 4 – Controls of Ship

• Each party must follow the rule and regulations of the Hong Kong Convention for Ship Recycling.

• The processes performed must be under the consultation of the team of the convention.

Article 5 – Survey and Certification of Ships

• Each party must take the measure of taking the certification from the losing authority and should fly its flag only after the survey is conducted by the authorities.

Article 6 – Authorization of Recycling Facilities

• It is compulsory for the parties to associate with the authorities and follow the recycling measures as suggested under the Convention Article 3.2.

Article 7 – Exchange of Information

• Hong Kong Convention for Ship Recycling states that that party must provide an organization as the medium to exchange the relevant information that has been asked by the authorities. This strictly has to be done under the control of time important in a smooth and effective manner.

Article 8 – Inspection of the Ship

• Hong Kong Convention for Ship Recycling units can anytime send their officers for the check of the certifications that are relevant as per the norm of Internation Inventory Hazardous Management.

• If the certification is inappropriate, legal action can be taken on behalf of the owner.

Article 9 – Detections of Violations

• The party must corporate with the authorities of the Hong Kong Convention.

• If the investigation process is stated, then it is essential that the owner must offer the asked information in a harmful manner.

• Each and every condition has to be accepted by the Party.

• If there is a detection of violation. The action by the official of the International Hong Kong Convention for Ship Recycling, 2009 will take place.

Article 10 – Violation

The Parties sometimes violate the laws to save a few amounts of money hence under this article if any violation is detected, the case is sent to the national law organization for verification purposes.

Article 11 – Undue Delay of Detention of Ships

Among the Articles 8,9,10 if any party is found guilty shall face compensation and suffer the loss until further notice by the legal authorities of the Hong Kong Convention for Ship Recycling and the national unit.

Article 12 – Communication of Information

It is necessary for each party to report to the organization and transfer the information listed below.

• The authorization and the jurisdiction details.

• Contact details of the party and the competent authorities too.

• The authorized surveyors and authorities that are linked with the party.

• List of the recycling certification and the number of flags fly per year.

Article 13 – Technical Assistance and Co-operation

1. Parties must provide assistance to the personnel and work in a safe and sound environment. Hong Kong Convention for Ship Recycling provides support to parties who ask for assistance in the following way.

• To train them.

• Helps them with the knowledge of technology, assistance, and facilities.

• Helps with the provision of joint research and development programs.

Parties must corporate with the policies, national law, and the rules and regulations too.

Article 14 – Dispute Settlement

Parties must solve disputes with safe and peaceful behaviors which may include the inquiry and judicial settlement. arbitration,  and negotiation with Hong Kong Convention for Ship Recycling

Article 15 Relationship with National Law and International Agreements

• Hong Kong Convention for Ship Recycling will not interfere with the rules and regulations made by the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, 1982, and international law of the sea too.

• The convention will not prejudice the laws of the internal committees.

Article 16 – Signature, ratification, acceptance, approval, and accession

The Hong Kong Convention for Ship Recycling will be open for the state to become parties with a mandatory signature from 1 September 2009 till 31 August 2010.

Any state can become the party by providing the signature on the agreement.

If the state holds 2 or more units under it, that at the time of signature, ratification, acceptance, approval, or accession convention may extern the declaration or may only provide an approach to one with the proper documentation.

Article 17 – Entry into Force

•  Convention for Ship Recycling must enter into force within the time period of 24 months from the date of issue.

• It is a compulsion that no less than 15 States must sign it without reservation as to ratification, acceptance, or approval or have deposited the requisite instrument of acceptance, approval, ratification, or accession as per Article 16.

• With the whole deposit of ratification, accession, approval, or acceptance, Convention may enter into force by three months from the date of entry.

Article 18 – Amendments

The amendment in the Hong Kong Convention for Ship Recycling will accept the amendment  only when,

• The parties submitted the amendment to the Secretary-General.

• The proposed amendments must be processed with a proper procedure.

• The parties must attain the two third of the majority votes to seek the amendments.

• If the amendment is processed by the conference and the parties decline to accept it, it then shall be unlisted from the list of legal parties.

Article 19 – Denunciation

• With the expiry date of 2 years, the convention for the party will be denounced.

• The denunciation will only be processed with the acceptance of the secretary general.

Article 20 – Depositary

• The deposit of the certification of the parties has to be with the secretary general.

• The signature deposits and the other documents about the parties namely approval ratification, accession, or acceptance need to be deposited with the Convention by Secretary General.

• Another document also requires the deposit such as the date of entry into the force.

Article 21 – Languages

Hong Kong Convention for Ship Recycling is only done and accepted in the languages mentioned.

• French

• Arabic

• Spanish

• Chinese

• Russian

• English

Each language is given an equal priority.

A Thoughtful Concern of the Convention

The major concern that Hong Kong Convention took place was the various factors that it noticed are troubling the environment. A proper thought process was taken in mind to look after the issues and then accordingly with the expert’s advice, the policies were made and suggestions were put in for advisory purposes.

• The Targeted Concerns-

• Protection of environment

• Evolution of machinery

• Solar system to generate electricity

• Management of hazardous waste

• Safety of workers and their health issues

• Methods of recycling

Conclusion

The overall result of the Hong Kong Convention for Ship Recycling was to obtain the attention of the shipbreaking company owners and awards them for the concern and importance of the environment and its worker’s health too. This was a move by the international authorities to the conservation and the preservation of the atmosphere in which they succeeded well. Now safety has been a priority and at R.L. Kalthia we are always concerned about the health of workers and the protection of nature hence we follow each and every guideline of the convention and are legally authorized to.

Certification of Ship Recycling Facilities by ClassNK– Nippon Kaiji Kyokai also known as ClassNK, is very active in following the services and promoting the activities in the ship-breaking society that offers an approach towards the safety of human life and the protection of the environment too. The company also provides the standard safety certification to eth ship recycling companies it considers on the deserving list. It offers a certification that is helpful in terms of the Hong Kong Convention Act. The motive of the Certification of Ship Recycling Facilities by ClassNK is to protect the safety level of sea levels and help the ship recycling companies to generate techniques that consist of environmental protection standards.

The Mission of ClassNK

Founded in November 1899, Nippon Kaiji Kyokai was part of an Imperial Marine Association called Teikoku Kaiji Kyokai whose motive was to regulate the policies that protect the environment at the utmost level. The Certification of Ship Recycling Facilities by ClassNK is somewhat important as only then a ship-breaking company can become the authorized one among all the available competitors.

The ClassNK is working on the mission that each ship recycling company must follow the measure for protecting the water life and it causing the marine pollution of the extended note.

The organization is a non-profitable party company that consists of the office that are experts in their service and keep the check of maintaining human and environmental health on the utmost basis.

ClassNK has achieved global status with its services in the painting period of time. The certainties on which it stood and officially turned the marine after as its primary priority whereby looking at the structures of construction too that they don’t cause any such harm to the environment.

Certification of Ship Recycling Facilities by ClassNK

The ship recycling companies such as R.L. Kalthia Ship Brealing Pvt. Lit. are certified by the official of ClassNK. The principles of ClassNk are to offer motivating techniques in which the recycling companies must look after the environmental protection strategies. The certification offers regular monitoring to guidance for the companies by which they can improvise using the technique to save the environment from any such harmful activity which may occur on the site of the construction. under the cxerytifi9cation services, it offers the services mentioned below.

• Inventory Development Assistance (IHM)

• Issuance of Statement of Fact (SOF)

• Technical Services for Inventory (IHM) Maintenance

ClassNK Methods Followed By R.L. Kalthia Ship Breaking Company

There are several methods required to reach the parameters of Certification of Ship Recycling Facilities by ClassNK and R.L.Kalthia’s ship-breaking unit follows each and every required method that is beneficial in terms of the certification. below are the mentioned lonely which are associated with the guide.

Follows the Environment Protection Policy

The company is following the techniques by which it can provide its contribution to the development of the environment. It keeps the check of its site and regularly monitors the environment-friendly techniques it uses in the terms.

Keeps the Check on Marine Pollution

It contains machinery that is eco-friendly and causes less air pollution and well as we keep the check that our company is not sharing the fishery environment at all.

Methods of Certification of Ship Recycling Facilities by ClassNK

The ClassNK certification is given to only those who follow the process in a sincere manner. Below is the mentioned process which is technically involved in the generation of Certification of Ship Recycling Facilities by ClassNK.

Verification of Documentation

For the provision of certification, The official of ClassNK requires a clear review of documents, It checks whether the company is following the methods of the Hong Kong Convention Act or not. And when the papers work is verified the company moves on to another step.

Sampling and Analysis

The team ClassNK Certificate takes the responsibility to check each and every detail thereby it works by checking the waste and hazardous material samples too and seeing whether it is meeting the environmental protection p[policy or not.

 Inspection of the Ship Recycling Yard

The official of ClassNK certification looks at the matter carefully and checks on the terminology that the site of ship recycling is meeting the areas of a friendly environment. It inspects that the owner is prioritizing human as well as nature’s health too and following the detailed Hong Kong Convention act too.

Provision of Certification

The final stage complies with honoring the company with the Certification of Ship Recycling Facilities by ClassNK which is valid for the period of five years. The official team when receiving the satisfaction of the verification of documents, then offers the certification. But for this, a ship recycling company is required to meet all the ends of the Hong Kong Convention, and perhaps for validation purposes, it carries out the annual inspection and sees whether the shipping yard company is following the rules and regulations in an appropriate manner or not.

The Certification of Ship Recycling Facilities by ClassNK provides dignified insurance to all shipping companies by helping them in the process of techniques that consist of low environmental damage and is positive towards human health too. It is also term fully beneficial for, shipowners, ship regulators, ship buyers, and stakeholders.

The Role of Green Technologies in Reducing the Carbon Footprint of Ship Breaking- Ship Breaking is a process that involves large amounts of vessel dismantling. The ships which are unable to give the work are being recycled in the shipping recycling yards although the process is necessary and with the improvisation in the techniques there is a noticeable change in the breaking methods but something event with the proper safety measures, our environment faces the utmost loss. As much as it is necessary to use the dismantling shipping methods, it causes harm to human and natural health which is why consideration of The Role of Green Technologies in Reducing the Carbon Footprint of Ship Breaking is equally important.

The Role of Green Technologies in Reducing the Carbon Footprint of Ship Breaking

There are various techniques that are currently in the generation and many shipbreaking companies are using them by prioritizing the needs and strengths of the environment. taking about The Role of Green Technologies in Reducing the Carbon Footprint of Ship Breaking, it is a feasible method that has turned out to be a profitable one for the ship owners, and labor workers and it also keeps control of air pollution and protects the submarine environment too.

How Does Reduction of Carbon Footprints Work?

The Role of Green Technologies in Reducing the Carbon Footprint of Ship Breaking is truly imperative one and it is because, it keeps the check the air pollution waste that is reduced by the skip breaking yards, along with this, it also provides the techniques where one can use the methods that can protect the oil flow into the water belts. Throughout the year the shipbreaking yards produce over 300 million tons of fuel water and this results in the literal cause of air pollution some of the waste is mistakenly deposited into the sea and oceans which causes harm to aquatic living beings.

The use of green technologies helps in the motive of the fulfillment of the needs of the environment because it provides a protective shield to the environment. The carbon footprint reduction keeps the maintenance of nature’s temperatures as with the use of various techniques, we can protect the environment as solar panels are can used as an alternative to electricity generation, the hydropower is again a tremendous option.

Green Techniques of Reducing Carbon Footprints

There are various Green Techniques that are used in carbon footprint reduction and these are almost used by every shipping yard in the country of India. Justifying the Role of Green Technologies in Reducing the Carbon Footprint of Ship Breaking, here are some techniques that can be provenly beneficial in the terminology.

Plasma Arc Cutting

The plasma arc-cutting process

The process involves the cutting of heavy vessels containing materials such as steel, iron, copper, aluminum, and brass. This includes the cutting of the materials with electrical means and with the pressuring force of the hot plasma jet too. The process is known to be the thermal-based utilization process that performs the cutting function on its own thereby limiting the human force and providing less carbon emission it is also more effective than the other running methods from the centuries.

Robotic Dismantling

One of the vitalizing techniques that serve in The Role of Green Technologies in Reducing the Carbon Footprint of Ship Breaking is Robotic Dismantling. This method helps to resolve human efforts as this helps in breaking the vessels, this is an automatic machinery that provides a solution for breaking the ships into pieces robotically. This is a cost-affecting technique and nowadays plenty of companies are investing in this. It is provenly considered the best option for the reduction of carbon feet prints.

Humid Air Motor

The process of Humid Air Motor or Humidification is used in the reduction of NOx emissions. The techniques are helpful in controlling air pollution by converting the hot gases into cooler ones and then helping in the process of evaporation in the form of water vapor.

Using Special Flooring

There are some special floors that play an important role in Green Technologies in Reducing the Carbon Footprint of Ship Breaking. The shipping yards hold the flooring that reduces the oil flow into the sea and also prevents the rusting substance to get into the water thereby preventing the water from polluting.

About R.L. Kalthia Ship Breaking Company

R.L. Kalthia Ship Breaking Company is one that provides the best ship recycling methods and disposes of them in an adequate manner. Our company takes a while level of responsibility in maintaining ng the environment and keeps it protected as we use the techniques that are known to offer less carbon footprint. We are a company of ethics that is known to great the mediums under which are thoughtfully associated towards our ship workers and thereby used the equipment that produces less air and requires less labor work. With with, we fulfill the Role of Green Technologies in Reducing the Carbon Footprint of Ship Breaking.

The shipbreaking and recycling industry has been dominated by developing countries such as Bangladesh, Pakistan, and India. About 90% of the world’s ship recycling activity takes place in Bangladesh, China, India, Pakistan, and Turkey. Being a labor-intensive industry, ship recycling has a gamut of economic benefits. From employment generation to boosting industrial development, ship recycling benefits a broad spectrum of people. 

In this blog, we have dug deeper into the economic benefits of Ship Recycling and have elaborated on implementing appropriate regulations to maximize the positive economic impact of ship recycling while minimizing potential negative consequences. With this blog, prepared by R.L.Kalthia Ship Breaking Private Limited, you will get insights into how shipbreaking is contributing to shaping the economies of developing countries. 

Economic Growth in  Developing Countries by Shipbreaking Industry 

As the shipbreaking industry shifted to developing countries, they have immensely contributed to their economies. In India’s Gujarat state, the Alang area alone directly employs around 60,000 people when all its yards are occupied, in addition to providing many indirect jobs. Bangladesh is currently leading the forefront of the shipbreaking industry. The scrapping of ships provides the country’s main source of steel and in doing so saves a significant amount of money in foreign exchange by reducing the need to import steel materials. 

The countries with no mineral resources, the shipbreaking industry is a blessing in disguise. The dismantled ships supply raw materials to steel mills, steel plate re-manufacturing, asbestos re-manufacturing as well as providing furniture, paint, electrical equipment, and lubricants, oil to many local industries. The ship recycling industry leverages the economy of developing countries in the following ways: 

Employment Generation: The dismantling requires a large number of people for cutting, salvaging, and processing various materials. As developing countries have a large pool of available labor at lower costs, the ship recycling industry can create opportunities for local communities and reduce unemployment rates, while also alleviating poverty rates. 

Foreign Exchange Earnings: Shipbreaking attracts a lot of foreign investors and buyers, interested in purchasing recycled material at an affordable price range. The inflow of foreign currency is beneficial to strengthen the country’s balance of trade and currency value. The earnings from foreign exchange contribute to a country’s foreign reserves and can be used for various economic purposes.

Revenue Generation: The shipbreaking industry generates revenue for any government through taxes, fees, and licenses. This revenue contributes to a country’s economy and provides funds for public services, infrastructure development, education, healthcare, and other socio-economic initiatives.

Hidden Economic Benefits of Ship Recycling 

The ship recycling industry significantly impacts the local supply chain and promotes production in ancillary industries. The growth of this industry directly impacts economic growth, creates business opportunities, fosters innovation, and increases the overall development of industries. 

Some other economical benefits of the ship recycling industry are: 

• Increased employment opportunities in industries such as logistics, transportation, equipment manufacturing, and scrap metal processing.

• By recycling abandoned ships, countries can mitigate their dependence on the extraction of raw resources, conserve energy, and minimize environmental impacts associated with resource processing and extraction. 

• The shipbreaking yards are a prime spots tourist attraction. With increased tourism, the revenue from tourism-related activities, such as accommodation, transportation, and hospitality services is also increased. 

• The ship recycling industry also supports the local ship-building industry and provides cost-effective raw materials for building new vessels. 

• The environmental benefits offered by ship recycling saves the environment and protecting ecosystems, fisheries, and tourism industries, which are often imperative for the economy.

Prime Factors Driving the Economic Impact of Ship Recycling

Establishing a shipbreaking is not the only prerequisite for reaping the enormous economic benefits of ship recycling. There are several factors in play that lead to economic advantages. 

Infrastructure Availability: To set up a shipbreaking yard, you require a vast area along the coastlines. Hence, the shipbreaking business cannot yield huge profits without infrastructure availability. 

Regulatory Frameworks: Without regulatory frameworks, ship recycling cannot take place smoothly. To reap the economic benefits of the ship recycling industry, there is a need for regulatory frameworks to allow the seamless operation of shipbreaking activities. 

Scale of Operation: Shipbreaking is usually carried out at a very large scale, due to circumstantial demands. Therefore, to carry out a shipbreaking operation, yielding a large revenue, the shipbreaking company should be fully prepared. 

Conclusion 

The ship recycling industry promises high returns and is beneficial for the growth of developing economies across the world. The shipbreaking industry generates mass employment opportunities, large revenues, and sustainable resource management, all contributing to the development of economies. R.L. Kalthia is the best shipbreaking company in India and the recycling facility of choice for safe and environmentally sound recycling for a number of major ship owners and their obsolete vessels by providing green ship recycling in line with csr credentials. Browse through our website for more such informative content or reach us at info@kalthiashipbreaking.com.

Regulatory Framework for Ship Recycling in India– The recycling of ships is not the latest trend but is now a generation old. All the major shipbreaking yards such as R.L. Kalthia use the machinery that helps in dismantling the heavy vessels and disposing of them with the technology that offers solutions for green ship recycling methods. the ship recycling is done under the expert’s supervision where while the process is undergoing they select the martial that can be further used. This is a profitable business and most of the yards situated in Alang follow the proper rules and regulations as mentioned in the ship recycling act.

The Acts of Ship Recycling in India

There is a proper Regulatory Framework for Ship Recycling in India that is done under the Ship Recycling Act, 2019, and the Ship Recycling Rules, 2020.  A company that doesn’t follow the rules and regulations properly and comes under the annual inspection is punished with a huge amount of fine and the owner then needs to be presented for the proper verification of the examination too.  The acts comprised of the maintaining of the three major rules namely the concept of sustainable development, precautionary principle, and polluter pays principle. It is very much necessary for shipbreaking yard owners to do regular monitoring of their yards and look for the necessities that are important for the protection of the environment.

The Ship Recycling Act of 2019 is divided into various parts namely, Ship recycling and international regulations, part 2 of Ship Recycling is the current Indian legal regime. The Regulatory Framework for Ship Recycling in India is justified in the manner of application that the ship recycling companies must follow the rules that say, any utility of the environment such as land, air, and water must not be disturbed by the activities performed in the ship recycling yards.

Set of Rules in the Regulatory Framework for Ship Recycling in India

There are some important rules that are importantly followed by the ship recycling companies of India. This regulation helps in the maintenance of nature and the property that we use. The justification for the Ship Recycling Act 2019 mentioned the productivity of human health too. All the essential areas are looked after in the act. The owners of the ship breaking yards are offered a job to maintain decorum as per the instructions and on regular inspection each and everything is checked by the official committee members of the Regulatory Framework for Ship Recycling in India.

Here are some of the important rules mentioned that are taken care of by each and every Ship Breaking Yard company.

Varified Ship Breaking yard

The most important Regulatory Framework for Ship Recycling in India is that the shipping yards must be registered under the government of India. It should the certification of the internal as well as the legal national council of performing the work activity of the ship dismantling. Any shipping yard that is recycling the shipyard without the information of the government is considered illegal.

Ship Breaking Code

The ship-breaking code is one of the necessary Regulatory frameworks for Ship Recycling in India. This was revised in the year 2013 and it states that the act performed by the shipbreaking yard workers must carefully be in favor of the environment. The procedures of recycling are conducted in a manner that the ship disentangling must not cause unnatural sound and harm to the environment.

The Water Act, 1974- Prevention and Control of Pollution

Most of the ship recycling when is done, produces a lot of waste in the form of oil and other rusting material. Under this act, it is a compulsion for the owner to use methods that don’t cause inappropriate harm to the water and help in the prevention of the marine after and marine life too. For this purpose, Central and State Pollution Control Boards conduct inspections related to this.

Management of The Hazardous Rules, 2008 – Handling Transboundary Movement, and Management

The Regulatory Framework for Ship Recycling in India insists on the working of the management system under which the shipping yards are required to maintain the wats in a manner to protect the environment. The waste is disposed of in an orderly way so that it must not become a problem for the water bodies.

The Air Prevention and Control of Pollution Act of 1981

The ship dismantling procedure require the use of a lot of machinery that causes a huge amount of pollution.  With the inventions, technology is evaluated and now the shipping companies use techniques that cause comparatively less pollution. The act is inspected by the official and a fine is been charged to the owners for not following the rules and polluting the air.

Considering the work of the Regulatory Framework for Ship Recycling in India, its main motive is to protect nature and human health. It is formally designed to make people adapt to changes and now they importantly consider the equality for the human and the environment health

Shipbreaking Industry is constantly evolving, where scientific support and technical approaches are needed more than ever before. There is an emergent need to increase the efficiency and productivity of the ship recycling facilities through optimization of the ship recycling processes. Productivity is dependent on many factors, one of which is various cutting technologies employed to dismantle and recycle ships. Gas-cutting technology for shipbreaking is widely employed for its myriad of benefits.

R.L. Kalthia has prepared this blog to dig deeper into Gas-cutting technology for ship breaking and other popular cutting technologies. Cutting technologies are crucial in improving the efficiency and precision of the steel-cutting process, which is central to the profit earned through selling recovered material from ship recycling. Use this informative guide to get insights into the working of gas-cutting technology in shipbreaking.

Gas cutting technology for ship breaking

A Glimpse into the Working of Gas-cutting Technology for Shipbreaking

Gas-cutting technology is divided into two categories; plasma cutting and oxy-fuel cutting. Gas-cutting technologies are imperative in ship recycling as they are used for cutting thick steel plates and structures of the ship. Plasma cutting is another popular gas-cutting technology that involves the use of a plasma torch, which generates a high-velocity jet of ionized gas (plasma) that reach high temperatures of up to 30,000 degrees Celsius. The plasma jet melts the steel and blows away the molten material and creates a clean and precise cut. The entire steel-cutting process can be summarized into the following mentioned steps:

Equipment Step: The first step in gas-cutting is arranging all the necessary equipment to carry out the process smoothly. The list of equipment includes oxygen and fuel gas cylinders, hoses, regulators, and cutting torches. The oxygen and fuel gas also known as acetylene is supplied via hoses to the cutting torch.

Set Up Work Area: The work area should be fully prepared before starting the cutting process. The officials should ensure the surface is clean, remove any flammable materials, and ensure proper ventilation to disperse fumes and gases generated during cutting.

Light the Torch: Next, Step is igniting the cutting torch using a flint spark lighter or a suitable ignition method.

Adjust Flame Settings: After igniting the torch, the flame needs to be adjusted to provide optimum heat for cutting. The flame is required to be adjusted to a proper size and shape for efficient cutting.

Cutting Process: With the right torch setup, the worker brings the cutting flame into contact with the steel structure to be cut. Intense heat and a high-velocity jet of oxygen create a clean and sharp cut in the metal.

Safety Measures: Safety holds utmost importance while carrying out a dangerous task such as gas-cutting. The process entails equipment such as personal protective equipment (PPE), flame-resistant clothing, gloves, goggles, and face shields. Fire extinguishers and other firefighting equipment are also required.

A Closer Look at Other Efficient and Sustainable Steel-Cutting Technologies

There is a myriad of steel-cutting technologies used in ship recycling to dismantle ships. The choice of cutting technology depends on the sheets’ size and thickness. However, gas-cutting technology is superior to others due to its efficiency and precision. Some other prominent steel-cutting technologies used in shipbreaking are mentioned below:

Underwater Cutting: In some cases, the steel cutting is required to be carried out underwater, especially when dismantling ships or removing submerged sections. In this cutting technology, wet welding and wet plasma cutting, are employed.

Gas Metal Arc Cutting (GMAC): This technology is also known as metal inert gas cutting (MIG), which uses an electrode wire and a shielding gas to create a high-temperature arc for cutting. GMAC is commonly used for cutting thin and medium-sized plates.

Laser Cutting: Using a high-powered laser beam, this cutting technology is used for precise and automated cutting. This technology is highly efficient in cutting through thinner and more intricate sections of steel.

Key Features of Gas Cutting Technologies

Gas-cutting technology is superior to others due to its extensive benefits. It is the most widely used cutting technology and is also safe for the environment. A few highlights of this technology are listed below:

Portability: Gas-cutting equipment is highly portable, making them an excellent choice for on-site cutting operations during shipbreaking. Portable gas-cutting equipment allows flexibility and more convenience in shipbreaking operations.

Precision: To get precise and accurate cuts, gas-cutting technology is the right choice. Precision is crucial to maintain the integrity of recovered material and reduces the waste produced during ship recycling.

Cost-Effectiveness: Gas-cutting technology is more affordable than other cutting technologies such as mechanical cutting or high-pressure water jet cutting. It is a more budget-friendly option for shipbreaking companies during large-scale operations.

Conclusion

Gas-cutting is a well-established technique and has been extensively used in many industries for a long time. The technique has undergone extensive development and refinement, ensuring its reliability and effectiveness over other steel-cutting technologies. The shipbreaking companies can benefit from the well-established nature of gas-cutting technology plus the availability of skilled operators, technical support, and safety protocols. You can reach out to R.L. Kalthia for more information regarding shipbreaking at info@kalthiashipbreaking.com.

In the recent Market Trends of the Ship Breaking Industry, it is being noticed that the demand for ship recycling has increased over the span of time. Justifications have led people to turn their methods in a more evolutionary manner. Now, as per the researchers, the demand for the recycling process has increased over the years as this business is quite flourished and also offers the people linked a considerable amount. The breaking and the dismantling of the ships require supportive teamwork that channelizes with better equipment and the use of technology. The Market Trends of Ship Breaking Industry have attained popularity also because of environmental concerns.Market Trends of Ship Breaking Industry

An Expected Life Span of Ship

As it is being noticed that the best use of the ship is offered to the owner when in the initial 20 to 30 years as after that, the life of the ship doesn’t last long. It is a reason behind the increase in the Market Trends of the Ship Breaking Industry, almost every ship is sent off for the breaking procedure and the dismantling process where with the help of the greatest means of technology and the improvised methods of the recycling process, the ships are being recycled under the supervision of experts that take care that no waste be it the rust, oils of the metal particles are not discarded into the ocean and the seawater.

The process takes place with the whole level of guidance and the provisional methods that consist of carbon emissions and green recycling too. As the various process of technology, environmental protection, dismantling procedure, improvised machinery, effective labor cost, and the finances of the industry increased, there is a noticeable rise of the shipbreaking procedure on the global index market, this has also helped in rising up the economy.

The Increase in Market Trends of the Ship-Breaking Industry

Not just India, but the whole world is using the best method of ship recycling and as the procedure takes place in the best shipping yards, hence the ship-breaking yard situated in Alang Gujarat tops in the index. The ship recycling yard of R.L. Kalthia is one of the leading ones in the shipbreaking industry. The global demand is rising which has provided an intensified advantage to the market and hence we are now experiencing steep Market Trends in the industry.

Here are some of the recent and flourished Market Trends of the Ship Breaking Industry that are making the name and which are becoming the reason for the establishment of the process too. Here are some of the known areas that have become popular with the advancement in society.

Meeting the Global Standards

Looking back days the ship was disposed of in a friendly manner, and later on with the rise and development n not in the sector of recycling, there were various methods that started establishing with the time. This took the road of the [p-rmofitsable industry that is the Ship Breaking. The mastered procedure that insists the flowering benefit of the Market Trends of the Ship Breaking Industry is that now the owner used the techniques that helped them in converting the waste materials into the use full ones. Such as, for the purpose of matter, in the dismantling of the ships, they were some of the materials that are later on used in the means for the purpose of the coral reef.

The Economic Rise

The finance of ship recycling increased with the purpose of full investment. Many parts in the dismantling of ships are reusable. The Market Trends of the Ship-Breaking Industry also developed as these all gave financial gain to the owners, as the life span of the ship is nearly 25 to 30 years, there is a variety of mental particles and other things that are used in the formation of the new ones.

Markets’ Turn Towards the Asian Continent

One of the most glorifying mechanisms of the shipbreaking industry is that, in Asian continents, the rise of labor is high and with this, as there is a huge number of populations residing in the areas, one can get the advantage of cheap labor cost. This is because each one finds the work and the shipping recycling and the breaking industry requires a huge amount of labor to carry forward with the process.

The countries that have marked the positions in the Market Trends of the Ship Breaking Industry are India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh. The financial benefits have also been achieved by the countries with the raised in the shipbreaking industry.

The Environmental Benefits Collobrated with Techno0logy

Another reason marked the gain of Market Trends in the Ship Breaking Industry is that now with the improvisation in the technical means, the machinery used is very much better than the other ones. Now, the owners use methods that cause less usage of fuel, offer minimal pollution to the air, and prevent rust from entering the water, and along with that, now the owner is very much advanced in acquiring the technology that helps their workforce towards the protection of their health.

Conclusion

The Market Trends of the Ship-Breaking Industry according to plenty of research will only rise and the future belongs to the ship-recycling industry as this helps in preventing the anti-environmental protection element. However, if one wants to seek the best profits in the industry it works to be grateful if one tries to constantly apply all the new and molded formulas in order to achieve the highest profits and attains popularity in the industry.

Shipbreaking has been touted as a way of managing large, abandoned shipwrecks, responsible for causing marine pollution. However, ironically shipbreaking itself leaves a lot of toxins in the sea, proving to be a primary threat to wildlife and humanity. Ship recycling is a labor-intensive process and employs thousands of laborers who work in hazardous conditions to carry out the dismantling process. Therefore there is a need for a regulatory body and a set of guidelines to monitor ship breaking and ensure the safe and environmentally responsible dismantling and recycling of ships. 

R.L. Kalthia has brought this blog to dig deeper into environmental regulations surrounding shipbreaking and elaborate on the Key Components of Shipbreaking Environmental Regulations. The regulations strive to mitigate the potential negative impacts of shipbreaking activities on the environment, human health, and worker safety. There are different components of shipbreaking environmental regulations that look after various aspects related to ship dismantling. Let’s investigate further into the shipbreaking environmental regulations and discuss its different components. 

Regulatory Bodies to Ensure Shipbreaking Environmental Compliance

There are various regulatory bodies working to develop and enforce shipbreaking environmental regulations. These regulatory bodies work at national, regional, and international levels. Some of the prominent regulatory bodies are mentioned below: 

International Maritime Organization (IMO): IMO is a specialized agency of the United Nations that play a significant role n framing regulations for environmental protection. It has developed conventions such as the Hong Kong International Convention for the Safe and Environmentally Sound Recycling of Ships, which provides guidelines for safe and environmentally responsible ship recycling. 

Basel Convention: The Basel Convention is an international treaty that addresses the management and transboundary movement of hazardous wastes, also, those generated from shipbreaking activities. It also frames guidelines on the transport and disposal of hazardous waste to minimize its harmful effects on human health and the environment. 

National Regulatory Authorities: All the prominent countries involved in shipbreaking have their separate governing bodies responsible for monitoring shipbreaking activities and enforcing environmental regulations. These national authorities comprise maritime administrations, environmental protection agencies, labor departments, and other relevant government bodies. 

Classification Societies: Classification societies are private organizations that examine and accredit abandoned ships’ compliance with several technical and safety standards. They play an important role in ensuring adherence to international regulations and industry-friendly practices during the shipbuilding, operation, and recycling stages.

Regional Organizations: Regional agreements and organizations significantly contribute to framing shipbreaking governmental organizations. Many European countries have implemented ship recycling regulations that set guidelines for safe and environmentally sound shipbreaking in all European states. 

Key Components of Shipbreaking Environmental Regulations

With the potential risk for human health, wildlife, and marine life, shipbreaking various regulations have been established to ensure safe and environmentally responsible ship recycling activities. The shipbreaking environmental regulations minimize the environmental risks posed by ship recycling. Go through the Key Components of Shipbreaking Environmental Regulations to get a better idea: 

Hazardous Materials Management: Ship recycling generates a lot of radioactive and toxic waste such as asbestos, PCBs, heavy metals, and fuels. Environmental regulations ensure that all hazardous waste is identified, handled, and disposed of to prevent environmental contamination and protect human health.

Waste Management: Shipbreaking results in a lot of solid, liquid, and oily wastewater that can significantly harm marine life and workers deployed at the shipbreaking yard. The stringent rules and regulations allow you to manage the waste using segregation, treatment, recycling, and safe disposal methods.

Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA): Before the commencement of ship recycling all the shipbreaking facilities are required to conduct an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA). This evaluation assesses the potential environmental risks and impacts related to shipbreaking activities, such as pollution, habitat destruction, and ecosystem disturbance.

Worker Health and Safety: These regulations ensure the safety and health of workers, working in the shipbreaking yard. This includes providing optimum training, and personal protective equipment (PPE), and ensuring compliance with occupational safety standards. 

Ship Recycling Facilities: Regulations have made it mandatory for shipbreaking yards and facilities to acquire certain licenses and certifications. These accreditations include infrastructure requirements, environmental management systems, worker facilities, and relevant laws and regulations.

Compliance and Enforcement: Regulatory authorities implement ship recycling regulations using inspections, audits, and monitoring of shipbreaking activities. Any deviation from the regulations can lead to penalties, fines, or suspension of operations, ensuring adherence to environmental regulations.

Conclusion 

The need for Shipbreaking Environmental Regulations is non-negotiable in ensuring the safety and health of workers, and also in keeping the environment safe. However, it is noteworthy that these regulations are not similar in all the countries engaged in large-scale ship recycling. The regulation also depends on the specific legal frameworks and priorities of each jurisdiction. International regulatory authorities such as International conventions and agreements, developed by the International Maritime Organization (IMO), immensely contribute to setting global standards for shipbreaking practices. You can contact R.L. Kalthia to get more informative insights on ship recycling and can enquire about our other services. To know more drop an email at info@kalthiashipbreaking.com

To make shipbreaking more accountable and transparent there is a need for a statutory body to monitor the activities of ship recycling activities. The statement of compliance in shipbreaking is a document issued by a shipbreaking facility, showing its compliance with international and national regulations, standards, and guidelines related to shipbreaking activities. R.L. Kalthia digs deeper into the Components and Structure of the Statement of Compliance in Ship Breaking through this blog and sheds light on its significance. 

The statement of compliance acts as evidence that a shipbreaking facility is following the environmental, health, and safety requirements during the ship-breaking process. It comprises the facility’s infrastructure, safety measures, waste management practices, worker protection measures, environmental safeguards, and other safety-related aspects. Using this blog you will gain valuable insights into the Components and Structure of the Statement of Compliance in Ship. 

Different Regulatory Bodies Involved in Issuing The Statement of Compliance 

There are various governing bodies looking after the issuing of statements of compliance in ship recycling. The regulatory body depends on the jurisdiction and the regulations followed by the shipbreaking facility. It is mandatory for all the ship recycling facilities to comply with the authorities in their area and get a statement of compliance from the appropriate regulatory body in their respective jurisdiction. Let’s discuss the recognized regulatory bodies involved in granting the state of compliance: 

International Maritime Organization (IMO): IMO is an international organization, governed by the United Nations. It supervises the safety and security of international shipping and actively works to prevent rising marine pollution. IMO is involved in framing rules and regulations mentioned in the state of compliance and is also the organizing body of the Hong Kong International Convention. 

Flag State Administrations: The Government of a State whose flag the ship is entitled to fly is known as the flag state administration. They are also responsible for granting the statement of compliance or supervising the whole process. 

National Environmental Agencies: Each nation has one or many National Environmental Agencies to look after the environmental regulations, carry out inspections, and issue state of compliance for ship recycling facilities. For example; the Ministry of Environment in India and the Environment Protection Agency in the United States. 

Components of State of Compliance in Ship Recycling Activities

The components of shipbreaking activities are dependent on the regulations and guidelines followed by the ship recycling facilities. However, a few components common to all the statements of compliance are mentioned below: 

Facility Information: No statement of compliance is complete without the information about the ship recycling facility. The document mentions the name, address, contact information, and certifications or accreditations acquired since its inception. 

Safety Measures: This specific section includes all the safety equipment used by the workers, from a particular facility. It enlists personal protective equipment (PPE), training programs, emergency response plans, and fire prevention measures used in the ship recycling facility. 

Legal and Regulatory Compliance: The statement of compliance should mention if the shipbreaking facility follows all the applicable laws and regulations related to shipbreaking activities. It can also reference specific guidelines laid by the Hong Kong International Convention for the Safe and Environmentally Sound Recycling of Ships or local environmental and labor regulations.

Monitoring and Auditing: This section mentions the capacity of a ship recycling facility to carry out on-time auditing to ensure compliance with all the international, national, and local shipbreaking standards. As per this component, the ship recycling facility should conduct regular inspections, data collection, and reporting mechanisms.

Environmental Protection: The state of compliance should also cover the ship’s recycling adherence to environmental protection regulations while carrying out the ship dismantling activities. It also includes information regarding hazardous material handling procedures, pollution prevention measures, and waste management practices. 

Significance of The State of Compliance in Ship Recycling 

Ship dismantling is a large-scale activity that generates a lot of marine pollution, posing a threat to marine wildlife and human life. In the wake of these harmful environmental implications, a state of compliance is a highly useful tool to keep a check on all shipbreaking activities. The significance of the state of compliance can be elaborated in the following points: 

1. The need for transparency and accountability in si[p recycling gets met through the state of compliance that enlists all the major information regarding any ship recycling facility. 

2. The state of compliance ensures that all the shipbreaking facilities adhere to the international and national rules and regulations laid by the regulatory bodies. 

3. Through a statement of compliance, the worker’s safety and welfare can be promoted. A major section of the document emphasizes the worker’s welfare, safety, health, and accommodation. 

4. The major benefit of the state of compliance is its ability to safeguard and promote environmental regulations. As the document mentions all the actions taken by a shipbreaking facility to safeguard the environment from the harmful toxins released during ship recycling. 

Conclusion 

The shipbreaking activities release many radioactive and toxin chemicals that are a threat to wildlife and human safety. With the use of a statement of compliance, the authorities can easily keep a check on the working of ship recycling facilities and their compliance with international and industrial rules and regulations. You can reach out to R.L. Kalthia for more such information at info@kalthiashipbreaking.com

Best Practices in Ship Breaking: Prioritizing Worker Safety and Environmental Protection- As the business of shipbreaking has expanded, there are plenty of workers who are joining the industry regularly. The work consists of the introduction of harmful techniques thereby it is mandatory for the shipbreaking owners to use measures that are beneficial and promote the safety of the people in an environment. Each shipbreaking industry nowadays is very much devoted to the welfare of its employees and thereby has adopted the Best Practices in Ship Breaking for Prioritizing Worker Safety and Environmental Protection. Both are equally important as these are the resources of the environment which are importantly needed to be protected with a shield.

For the purpose of ship breaking guide, kindly email us at info@kalthiashipbreaking.com

Maintained Standards by R.L. Kalthia Ship Breaking Private Limited

At R.L. Kalthia Ship Breaking company we are determined and concerned about the safety and standards of our employees and the environment which is why we are using all the safety measures at our port by making it nature friendly and employee-friendly too. Each month we have a team that keeps the check on the port’s maintenance and initiates the Best Practices in Ship Breaking thereby Prioritizing Worker Safety and Environmental Protection. This blog reflects the approach offered by the international standards of prioritizing worker and environmental safety.

Below are some areas mentioned by which we are influenced and perform all the certainly healthy practices on a daily basis.

Applying the International Policies

All the ship Breaking Yards including ours are known to support the use of an international policy that is very commonly termed the Hong Kong Convention Act. This stated that each Ship Breaking yard industry must start the process by applying all the safety measures as per the preferences of the Hong Kong Convention for the Safe and Environmentally Sound Recycling of Ships. Our company follows the standards as per official documentation and as it is a registered company hence we take care of the environmental management process too.

Here are some responsible measures which are followed by R.L. Kathia to improve its techniques.

• Worker safety

• Environmental protection

• Proper waste management

Assessment of Nature’s Risk

R.L. Kalthia is a Ship Breaking Company that has attained a glorifying standard in society as it is only because we believe in making mother nature our utmost priority. One can apply the policies but if regular assessments are not performed then it may surely result in a hazardous manner. Hence there is a team of experts that consistently works in accordance with the safety process. It keeps a check on each and every task performed and this further helps in identifying the hazardous material that can harm the environment along with this, it also provides a closer towards the release and use of asbestos, toxic paints, and PCBs too.

Satff’s Safety

The Best Practice in Ship Breaking is Prioritizing Worker Safety and Environmental Protection both in the coordination. The safety of the workers is considered a priority because they are the backbone of the sector. At R.L. Kalthia we take care of our workers primarily which is why we offer them the best safety equipment, body suits with padding, and much more.  Considering their health mask shields are offered to safeguard the workers for the best results.

Management of Hazardous Material

Waste management is an important aspect if one wants to apply Best Practices in Ship Breaking in order to Prioritize Worker Safety and Environmental Protection. At R.L. Kalthia, it is our responsibility to manage the waste as we have adapted the policies under which we collect all hazardous waste and dispose of it in a manner that prevents the spoilation of the environment. We take care that all the rust and the nails must be safely recycled and then sent out of the ship-breaking yards. We follow all the national, international, and local protocols too while disposing of the waste out of our yard.

Our Responsibility Towards the Society

R.L. Kalthia is the biggest Ship Breaking yard in the country of India and being on the top, it is our duty to serve the environment and society in the most healthy manner. Our team officials regularly inspect the nearby areas concerned and take the feedback of the locals about if they are satisfied with the working policies. Also, our prime motive is to provide employment to all the people residing nearby. We involve the stakeholders too for a healthier relationship with the community members.

Supervision of Chemical Waste

The chemical waste is contaminated hence being a hazardous component it creates a barrier in nature to healing, At R.L.Kalthia, we take care of the process to manage the chemical wastes thereby preventing it from harming the environment and the workers too. It is stored and segregated properly so its effects must be minimal on the environment.

Our shipping company is well equipped with all the safety measures. We are at our supreme level perform take each and every step by keeping in mind the safeguarding of the environment and our healthcare professionals. The Best Practices in Ship Breaking come with Prioritizing Worker Safety and Environmental Protection hence it is our prime responsibility to fulfill the motives or the internal policies and attain the leading status in society.

The Future of Ship Breaking- The practice of shipbreaking is years old and as the development is noticed in the society the technology has flourished too. The previous ancient methods are not used in dismantling but the new techniques are followed. This has led to the growth of innovation and technology. The practice conducted at the ports has now evolved and the ship breaking owner has trained their workers with the trends that are evolving around.  The Future of Ship Breaking had changed the means of the process has not been beneficial for the people working in the areas but also has developed a change in the environment because of the introduction of the green system.

With the help of this blog, we are going to shape some trends that are offering innovation in the Future of Ship Breaking

Trends and Innovations to Watch in Future

The marine industry is flourishing rapidly and the increase in advancement and technology has widened. Now the development belongs to the Future of Ship Breaking industry. Here are some resources that can be seen with full force in the upcoming years.

The Acknowledgment of Green Shipping Methods

Green ship recycling methods are one of the best mediums which have been applied in the shipbreaking industry. These comprise carbon emission-free units, electric motor vehicles on sites, the correct management of hazardous waste, and most importantly the following of the protocols as suggested by the Hong Kong Convention Act. The ship recycling units gather a huge amount of oil, rust, and cementing material which is transferred into the marine bodies and can cause harm to the health of aquatic animals. Hence the implementation of Green Shipping Management currently and in The Future of Ship Breaking too can be very much beneficial.

Safety of Working Staff

This is the prime responsibility of the owner of ship-breaking companies because it helps the workers achieve a resource of security and stability of a positive working environment too. With the advances treating, great use of machinery, modified equipment, and much more the workers’ safety has been prioritized by the leaders. Although companies are investing a huge amount in security still they’re are some major criteria which are needed to be taken care of in a safe working environment.

Robotic Science

Artificial intelligence is taking over the paths of the world and since robotic science has flourished in recent times, it is being noticed as per the research that The Future of Ship Breaking is to the robotic currently the yards have the equipment that reduces the lead of many powers at and extends and offers them the security of health. Similarly, in the coming years, the generation of automatic machinery will be implemented frequently.

Rule of International Agencies

The international agencies have implemented policies with the most strict rules and regulations, The current rules are set up in a manner that if a company breaks then a huge fine has to be paid. As the Future of Ship Breaking is thriving with the advancement hence it is expected that companies may have to follow more strict laws in order to protect the environment.

Sustainable Techniques of Dismentalling

As dismantling is one of the most considerable processes of ship breaking procedure, hence it is important that one must utilize the resources that cause the least harm to the environment during the process of dismantling. The flourished methods using the advanced techniques must be followed as there is a change followed by the evolution of machinery, in the Future of Ship Breaking industry diversified techniques will be used.

R.L. Kalthia’s Approach Towards the Advanced Technology

R.L. Kathia strictly follows each and every policy as suggested by the international and national guidelines. It has throughout its business focused on the growth level of its workers and prioritizes their safety too. It is its healthy approach and concern towards the environment that R.L. Kalthia’s ship Breaking Port is forever transformed and filled with the technologies of the latest trends. It with the guidance of experts in the field every uses a holistic approach to improve itself and collaborate with all the latest means of transformation.

Our Company is forever ready to accept and face evolution in the Future of the Ship Breaking industry. Being the leading ship-breaking port in the country it has maintained its levels and currently follows all the latest trends by protecting the environment. The future belongs to technology and R.L. Kalthia with its working staff is ready to accept all the challenges.

The shipbreaking process is a responsible and efficient dismantling of large abandoned ships or vessels. The process comprises a series of detailed steps, beginning from ship acquisition to careful ship dismantling. There has always been an emphasis on the systematic dismantling of ships, with a focus on the safety, sustainability, and proper management of hazardous materials. R.L. Kalthia has brought this blog to help everyone in Understanding the Ship Breaking Process: From Ship Acquisition to Dismantling.

With growing awareness about the environmental impact of ship recycling, now the focus has shifted toward recycling end-of-life ships while ensuring the recovery of valuable material and minimizing the environmental impact. Let’s dive deep into the blog and understand how ship recycling takes place right from the beginning till the end. You will get a vivid account of a ship’s journey once it arrives at any shipbreaking yard.

Understanding the Ship Breaking Process: From Ship Acquisition to Dismantling.

Sourcing and Selecting Vessels for Shipbreaking Process with Ship Acquisition

The ship recycling process begins with the acquisition of ships for the dismantling process. Shipbreaking yards or companies opt for different methods to acquire ships for the recovery of scrap and other valuable items. Some common sources used by the shipbreaking yards to find a suitable end-of-the-life ship are:

Decommissioned Navy and Military Vessels

Government Auctions and Sales

Merchant Ships

Salvage Operations

Ship Recycling Companies

To get the best deals yard owners or companies look for different ship acquisition methods. Mostly the ships are acquired through auctions or negotiations with ship owners or brokers to acquire vessels for breaking. The shipbreaking yards can also directly purchase the vessel from ship owners or brokers. Sometimes government secures a contract with shipbreaking yards for the acquisition of decommissioned naval or Coast Guard vessels.

Mandatory Preliminary Assessment

Before beginning the ship recycling all the vessels are made to go through a mandatory preliminary assessment. In the preliminary assessment, the condition of the ship is inspected to quantify the recoverable material and all the hazardous materials present on the ship. Once the inspection is done, the feasibility of dismantling the ship is assessed by professionals using various techniques.

The preliminary assessment allows the shipbreaking yards to evaluate the feasibility of recycling a particular vessel. It also provides useful insights into the condition of the ship, eventually helping in estimating the cost and value of steel, non-ferrous metals, and other recyclable components, contributing to the economic viability of the shipbreaking operation.

Breaking Down Ships Safely and Efficiently

Once the preliminary inspection is done, the ship is prepared for the dismantling process. The preparation begins with the removal and securing of fuel, oils, and hazardous substances recovered from the ship. An expert ensures that the shipbreaking facility has implemented all the environmental safeguards and spill prevention measures.

Understanding the Ship Breaking Process: From Ship Acquisition to Dismantling.

The dismantling process begins with the removal of loose items and other useful interiors of the ship. Using various cutting technologies such as torch cutting, plasma cutting, mechanical shearing, and segregation of the recovered material. After the ship is cut into manageable sections, these sections are further separated and divided based on the type of material such as steel sections are separated from non-ferrous metal components like copper, aluminum, and brass.

Once the segregation is done, the separated material is further processed for recycling. After the dismantling process, the steel sections are sent to steel mills, where they are melted down to be transformed into new products. Non-ferrous metals are recovered and sold to metal smelters for reuse. No shipbreaking is similar and each ship requires a specific dismantling process and cutting technologies depending on various factors. These factors include the size of the ship, available equipment, and the shipbreaking yard’s capabilities. Throughout the dismantling process, it is ensured that all the safety protocols and environmental regulations are followed o ensure the safety and welfare of the workers.

Tackling Hazardous Material Management

All the abandoned ships brought for ship recycling comprises hazardous material in different forms. This hazardous material if not handled properly can be a threat to marine wildlife or human life as well. Therefore, there is a need for a proper management system to dispose of the hazardous material recovered from the ships. Some common hazardous materials recovered from the ship recycling are:

Asbestos

Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs)

Lead-based Paint

Hazardous Chemicals and Oils

Fuel and Oil Residues

Ship recycling facilities employ trained professionals that follow the safety standards and ensure the safety of safe handling, containment, and disposal of hazardous materials.

Prime Focus on the Safety and Welfare of the Workers

Shipbreaking is a risky process that poses a threat to the life of workers, working in the shipbreaking yard. Ensuring the safety of all the workers involved in the shipbreaking process shall be a primary concern. To make it more safe adequate personal protective equipment (PPE) is provided to workers, and safety protocols are implemented throughout the dismantling process. Several training programs on occupational health and safety are conducted to educate the workers about potential hazards and safe practices. Compliance with labor laws, including fair wages and working hours, is essential to protect the rights of workers.

Conclusion

The ship recycling process is highly sophisticated and cannot be carried out without proper planning, and prioritizing the worker’s safety and environmental regulations. From the acquisition of ships to the dismantling process, all the activities shall be carried out as per international guidelines and regulations. Several efforts are made by the industry and international bodies to improve shipbreaking practices and promote the development of sustainable ship recycling facilities worldwide. You can reach R.L. Kalthia at info@kalthiashipbreaking.com to get more information on shipbreaking and related topics.

Shipbreaking is the most sought-after way of recycling large and abandoned shipwrecks. The material recovered from the dismantled ships has a thriving market that attracts businessmen and dealers from all across the world. On one hand, shipbreaking provides a sustainable disposal method for large ships no longer in use, on the other side it releases harmful toxins into the environment posing a serious threat to marine life. In recent years there has been a growing recognition of the environmental and social concerns associated with shipbreaking. 

Several efforts have been made at the international level to address the environmental implications of ship recycling and ways to mitigate these impacts. International conferences such as Hong Kong International Convention were held to promote safer and more sustainable ship recycling practices. R.L. Kalthia aims to address the Implementation Challenges and Best Practices for the Inventory of Hazardous Materials in Ship Breaking Yards through this blog. Let’s dig deeper into the challenges and discuss best practices to foster sustainable and environmentally friendly ship recycling methods. 

Major Implementation Challenges for Inventory of Hazardous Materials in Shipbreaking Yards

After the Hong Kong International Convention for the Safe and environmentally sound recycling of Ships, a new era of ship recycling began. To mitigate the environmental impact of shipbreaking IHM or Inventory of Hazardous Materials was introduced which is a list of hazardous materials that are present on a ship. The IHM allows shipbreaking yard owners to quantify and identify hazardous materials on board ships that are known to represent a potential hazard to humanity and the environment. The IHM allows ship owners to maintain records of hazardous materials by keeping detailed control of the types, quantities, and locations of the hazardous material recovered from the vessel. However, the implementation of IHM has several roadblocks in its path that needs to be dealt with. 

Some major Implementation Challenges for the Inventory of Hazardous Materials in Shipbreaking Yards are mentioned below:

• Lack of resources and infrastructure for conducting inventories of hazardous material

• Language and communication barriers in multinational shipbreaking yards

• Adherence to international regulations and standards

• Absence of standardized procedures for inventorying hazardous materials

• Limited awareness and training of workers on hazardous materials

Best Practices to Conduct the IHM in Shipbreaking Yards 

Despite the roadblocks and various challenges, the inventory of hazardous materials is an efficient way of finding the right disposal method for hazardous materials, thereby alleviating their environmental impact. By implementing these efficient practices the shipbreaking yards can effectively manage and track hazardous materials and decrease the risk associated with their breakdown, and encourage safe and environmentally responsible ship recycling practices. Some of the best practices that can tackle the challenges associated with the implementation of the Inventory of Hazardous Materials are discussed below:

1. Employ a standardized methodology for identifying, categorizing, and recording hazardous materials in ships, and assign trained professionals to examine the inventory process, while ensuring their understanding of hazardous materials, and proper documentation practices.

2. Conduct a thorough inspection of the ship and partner with ship owners, operators, and classification societies to obtain specific information to maintain an elaborate record of the hazardous material on the ships. 

3. Bring into use technological solutions such as handheld scanners or mobile apps for hazardous material identification and tracking. 

4. Conduct comprehensive training programs to equip workers with the right skillset on proper handling, storage, and disposal of hazardous materials.

5. Carry out internal audits to assess compliance with the hazardous material inventory and external audits for the validation of the effectiveness and credibility of inventory practices.

Importance of Regulatory Framework and International Standards

The inventory of hazardous materials in ship recycling is subjected to various regulatory frameworks and international standards, to ensure safe and environmentally sound handling of hazardous materials recovered from the recycled ships. These regulations lay down the guidelines associated with the requirements for the inventory process, documentation, handling, and disposal of hazardous materials in the shipbreaking process. Some key aspects of the regulatory frameworks originate from the following mentioned conventions:

• Basal Convention 

• Hong Kong International Convention

• EU Ship Recycling Regulation (EU SRR) 

• Registration, Evaluation, Authorization, and Restriction of Chemicals (REACH)

• International Association of Classification Societies (IACS)

Following the regulatory frameworks and international standards is essential for shipbreaking yards to ensure the proper handling, and disposal of hazardous materials. Implementing the IHM can only be successful if it adheres to these regulations and promotes transparency, safety, and environmental protection.

Conclusion 

To address the implementation challenges for the Inventory of Hazardous Materials there is a need for continuous improvement and collaboration to promote safer ship recycling activities. It is time that all the shipbreaking yard owners approach the implementation challenges and adopt the best practices to maintain an Inventory of Hazardous Materials in Ship Breaking Yards. To get more such information you can contact R.L. Kalthia and enjoy elaborate information on Implementation Challenges and Best Practices for Inventory of Hazardous Materials in Ship Breaking Yards. 

Environmental Impacts of End-of-life Ships and Sustainable Ship Recycling Practices- For centuries, the impact of ships on the world is high. The trading sector relies on it as this falls under the cheapest medium for import and export. Being the easy medium, ships after a period of time are recognized for ship recycling purposes. This further causes an environmental impact.

The process of ship recycling involves,

Release of dangerous materials

Toxins

Rust

Hazardous chemical

To protect our surroundings, the ship-breaking industries follow a specific type of criteria that initiates the protection of Environmental Impacts of End-of-life Ships by the process of Sustainable Ship Recycling Practices.

In the shipbreaking and recycling process, it is not just the environment that gets affected but also the laborers working on the site. Health is the prime of most areas which face trouble as this work sometimes gets death threatening. Now as to prevent the Environmental Impacts of End-of-life Ships ship recycling owners are practicing Sustainable Ship Recycling Practices that promote the safety of employees and act as a protection shield for the environment. These practices reduce the pressure in the air and stop the flow of rust into the water.

How is Environment Affected?

The environment faces a significant impact due to the frequently occurring shipbreaking practices. Perhaps these are centuries old, the problems came recently to the notice. The regulatory techniques of the development were enforced but as observed lately, the techniques were not upgraded due to the lack of sustainable awareness. The process of ship recycling is costly and more than that it requires a huge amount of force. The act took place without any proper desmentalling knowledge provoked pollution in the air and destroyed marine life too.

Here are some common Environmental Impacts of End-of-life Ships that are needed to be taken care of by Sustainable Ship Recycling Practices

Hazardous Waste Generation

The waste material after the desmentalling of vessels is too much and as we have noticed, the management of the waste is not done in an appropriate manner hence it causes a depletion. As improper practices are conducted on a daily basis, the lead of impact on the environment is too high. Awareness is required to protect and conducts astonishing practices for waste development. Due to improper management, it is the worker’s health too that gets destroyed. The working conditions are indeed hazardous hence it is another reason for the cause of depletion.

Pollution due to Desmentalling

As the practices of large vessel desmentalling are conducted frequently, the impact on the environment can not be ignored. The affected areas are

Land Degradation

Air Pollutants

Marine Ecosystem

The procedure is conducted on the land and if the management of waste is not done in an appropriate manner, it causes the occurrence of land depletion. During the ongoing process of desmentalling, there are several types of toxins that are released in the air, and looking at the marine life, if the rust particles are released in the water this destroyed the aquatic life.

R.L. Kalthia’s Sustainable Ship Recycling Practices

Sustainable ship recycling practices help in taking care of the Environmental Impacts of End-of-life Ships. R.L. Kalthia plays a vital role in protecting against the harmful impacts that trouble the environment. The company stands on the lawful management of reshaping the oceans with preserving methods.

R.L. Kalthia’s Commitment towards Sustainability

Techniques that mention the protection of nature.

Practices management for workers’ safety.

Ample space for vessel recycling.

Accepts the challenges of economic principles.

Green Ship Recycling Management

Likewise, in other industries Ship Breaking too occupies a space in the highest polluters both nationally and globally. The bar is forever raised hence international policymakers years ago decided to initiate a process “Green Ship Recycling Management”. As it is noticed, the process causes a huge Environmental Impact on End-of-life Ships, this process falls under the Sustainable Ship Recycling Practices. This nowadays is a compulsory act that is required to be performed by the ship recycling industrialist to be on the legal list.

It reduces

Waste production

Harm to marine life

Release of toxins

Management of Hazardous Elements

The most important that leads to the Environmental Impacts of End-of-life Ships is the response of ship desmentalling in the form of the release of toxins. With the implementation of Sustainable Ship Recycling Practices the area and be observed and positive parameters are achieved.

Type of Harmful Material Acquired

Asbestos

Rust

Toxic Chemicals

Concrete

Heavy metals

Lead

Mercury

At R.L. Kalthia, we have a team that specializes in managing such waste by not letting it enter the environment. There is special flooring that prevents the slipping of chemicals, heavy metals, and concrete into the oceans. Each is forwarded to the recycling yards for the betterment of nature.

Our role in the protection of nature stands as a catalyst. Hence our significant effort toward the implementation of Sustainable Ship Recycling Practices in order for the prevention of Environmental Impacts of End-of-life Ships is generous. We believe in transforming the environment with our little but huge effects and incorporating them into sustainability.

Ship recycling is the dismantling of large abandoned ships carried out to recover metal scrap and other essential items. However, shipbreaking has always been targeted for its environmental impact and lack of sustainable recycling practices. The threat posed by shipbreaking practices cannot be taken lightly as they can be dangerous for marine life and humanity as well. To combat these environmental threats several International organizations have been established involved in promoting sustainable shipbreaking practices.

R.L. Kalthia has brought this blog to help you understand The Role of International Organizations in Promoting Sustainable Ship Breaking Practices and help gain a clear perspective on the topic. International Maritime Organization (IMO), Basel Convention, and International Labor Organization (ILO) are some of the prominent organizations involved in implementing sustainable practices helpful in minimizing the threats to the environment. An increased focus on spreading these regulations to all the major countries is the main objective of these international organizations. 

Key Challenges in Ship Recycling Industry 

Shipbreaking comprises dismantling end-of-life ships which are a good source of highly valued metal scrap and other useful items. However, to make ships durable and increase their life, many hazardous and radioactive materials are used that can harm the environment and be a threat to marine wildlife as well as the workers, working in the shipbreaking yard. Some other challenges faced by the shipbreaking industry are mentioned below: 

•  Proper Disposal of hazardous substances such as asbestos, heavy metals, and other toxic materials.

•  Human rights violations, such as exploitation of workers, poor working conditions, and child labor. 

• Lack of comprehensive international regulations and enforcement mechanisms.

• Economic pressure leads to the neglect of environmental and safety considerations.

• Lack of adequate infrastructure, equipment, and facilities to handle ship recycling in a safe and environmentally friendly manner. 

Prominent International Organizations and Initiatives to Promote Sustainable Shipbreaking Practices 

There are several organizations and initiatives that are actively working to develop guidelines for sustainable shipbreaking practices. These organizations provide technical assistance, monitor the implementation of sustainable shipbreaking practices, and spread awareness about the same. Some well-known international organizations involved in laying the guidelines for the implementation of sustainable shipbreaking practices are:

1. International Maritime Organization (IMO): International Maritime Organization has been actively working to address environmental issues related to shipbreaking. The IMO is the working body behind the Hong Kong International Convention for the Safe and Environmentally Sound Recycling of Ships. The objective of the convention was to ensure no ship brought for recycling pose a threat to marine life, humans, or other animals. 

2. Basel Convention: The Basel Convention is a global treaty that works with the aim to regulate the transboundary movement and disposal of hazardous waste, including dismantled ships. The convention frames guidelines for proper shipbreaking practices and safe disposal of hazardous waste recovered. 

3. European Union (EU) Ship Recycling Regulation: As per the European Union, the EU-Flagged ships sent for dismantling shall meet specific environmental and safety standards. These regulations ensure that the ships are recycled while not compromising the environmental impact. 

4. International Labor Organization (ILO): The ILO is another organization that works under United Nations. The agency promotes safe working conditions and occupational health and safety standards in various industries, including shipbreaking. The guidelines set by the ILO ensure environmentally sound shipbreaking. 

Contribution of International Organizations in Fostering Environment-Friendly Ship Recycling

International organizations have highly contributed to reshaping shipbreaking practices. The regulations have a key role in addressing the environmental, economic, and social impacts of the shipbreaking industry. The implementation of these guidelines promotes responsible ship recycling and contributes to the conservation of the marine environment and also protects worker rights and safety. Some key ways through which international organizations contribute to promoting environmentally friendly ship recycling are given below:

1. International organizations raise awareness through training, workshops, and capacity-building programs to enhance knowledge and skills related to safe and sustainable ship recycling practices. They help stakeholders, including governments, ship owners, ship breakers, and local communities to learn more about the environmental and social impacts of shipbreaking.

2. International organizations foster collaboration with industry stakeholders, government, and civil societies to promote sustainable ship practices. These partnerships encourage a systematic approach to ensure that efforts to improve ship recycling stick with international standards and principles. 

3. Developing countries are leading the forefront of the shipbreaking industry. International organizations provide technical assistance and financial support to developing countries to improve their ship recycling infrastructure and implement sustainable shipbreaking practices. 

4. International organizations keep an eye on shipbreaking activities in the region where environmental and social concerns are prevalent. To achieve transparency and accountability International Organizations conduct site visits, assess compliance with regulations, and publish reports highlighting issues such as worker safety violations, environmental pollution, and human rights abuses. 

Conclusion 

International organizations have an indispensable role in bringing about safe and environmentally sound shipbreaking activities. It is only possible with the concerted efforts of international organizations, governments, industry stakeholders, and civil society that we can address the environmental and social challenges associated with shipbreaking activities. With the arduous efforts of international organizations,  governments, industry stakeholders, and civil society shall be encouraged more to stringently follow the rules and regulations laid by various international organizations.

It has been quite headache process to maintain, recycle and to dispose hazardous material in ship breaking where R. L Kalthia plays an important role while handling with such problem. You all were thinking why this is so hard to handle such process? It is because ships some time carries Hazardous materials like as asbestos, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), glass fiber, solid foam and waste oil. These all materials can easy get absorbed in the sea water which can cause the problem to environments. That is why a ship breaking yard s are proposed for that all the characteristics and harm on-board hazardous materials are get mentioned in paper. Now it is being analyzed which chemical compound can be handle with so that there will be no damage to no one. Now what is ship breaking? And why we need this?

Ship breaking process is to dismantle an obsolete vessel’s structure for scrapping or disposal and conduct on dismantling yard which involves many task from removing gear and equipment on ships to cutting down and recycle the ship again. By the time ship gets rusted due to the corrosive materials or while living long time in water which can lead down to very dangerous Accident. That is why in 20 to 25 years most ship required recycling process. This is the main reason why disposal and recycling of hazardous materials are necessary in shipbreaking.

Responsible Disposal and Recycling of Hazardous Materials in Ship Breaking

Problem while handling Hazardous materials in Ship breaking process are

Structural Complexity- Structure of ship is very complex which is not easy to handle while ship breaking. Because it has many compartments like workers, Captain, Engine and storage for having hazardous substance. If anything happen to storage harmful chemical get absorbed which create problem to marine life.

Handling of Hazardous materials is difficult- Some chemical has very low boiling which can easily evaporate as it comes in normal temperature and can easily spread in air which can be very harmful to biosphere. One time this was happened in Bhopal which is known as Bhopal Gas tragedy which cause thousands of death in Bhopal and many birds are found dead even today every third and fourth child from that area were born as special child. And some time oil covered the sea surface if it was handle poorly which can cause the problem in growing of hydrophytes due to that there is lack of oxygen which can impact aquatic life and every life is important so disposing and recycling of the Hazardous materials is our only chance.

Right ways to disposal and recycling of hazardous materials in ship breaking

Government policy regarding Ship breaking– An Act 49 of 2019 to provide for the regulation of recycling of ships by setting certain standards and laying down the statutory mechanism for enforcement of such standards and for matters connected therewith or incidental thereto. AND, the International Maritime Organization follows the Hong Kong International Convention for the Safe and Environmentally Sound Recycling of Ships, 2009 which ensures that ships, when being recycled after the end of their operational lives, do not pose any unnecessary risk to the environment and to human health and safety; WHEREAS, the said Convention was developed with inputs from International Maritime Organization Member States, Non-Governmental Organizations and in co-operation with the International Labour Organization and the Parties to the Basel Convention on the Control of Trans boundary Movements of Hazardous Wastes and their Disposal, 1989;

AND WHEREAS, the Hong Kong Convention lays down the aspects relating to design, construction, operation and preparation of ships so as to facilitate safe and environmentally sound recycling, without compromising the safety and operational efficiency of ships and the establishment of an appropriate enforcement mechanism for recycling of ships;

AND WHEREAS, the said Convention contains the provisions which are not covered in the Shipbreaking Code (Revised), 2013 notified by the Government of India to regulate the recycling of ships in India;

AND WHEREAS, the said Convention lays down the multilateral framework to be followed internationally by countries which become a party to it;

AND WHEREAS, India, being a Member-State of the International Maritime Organization, had participated in the said Convention and expressed views for the protection of environment and human health and safety during the process of recycling of ships;

Handle harmful Chemical compound with right process– Certain hazardous chemicals are different chemical properties which can be very handy so one should know all the properties regarding the chemical compound and all the emergency rule while leakage of chemical. And all the necessary equipment should to there to handle the Hazardous materials.

Conclusion

That is why R.L Kalthia is the good company to handle your entire disposal and recycling of hazardous materials in ship breaking because we handle every parameter regarding ship breaking. So be the first one to act to safe life and environment also to increase the life span of ship crew by disposing and recycling of hazardous materials in ship breaking with the help of R.L Kalthia.

Successfully and sustainably breaking a ship is a very hard process. Because Ship is like very huge giant and breaking them is a very headache and time taking process. Because some of them have very hazardous materials which by the time get collected like sludge in the storage compartment and while breaking it can also create a very harmful condition to the worker who are working on the ship during this ship-breaking process. That is why these case studies of successful and sustainable Ship Breaking initiated.

There is some more reason why ship breaking process there is the release of harmful chemicals and metal dust get distributed in the environment which can create air pollution moreover there is the chance that you can create water pollution by spoiling the harmful chemicals and oil in the water which can harm the aquatic life so that it becomes the necessity to do a proper Case Studies of Successful and Sustainable Ship Breaking.

 Some Case studies of Successful and Sustainable Ship Breaking

By that time we have to search for the best way to way to do shipbreaking. Because it was harming the environment and water bodies too. For that, there are some case studies carried out which can help us to minimize the harm. These are some Case Studies of Successful and Sustainable Ship Breaking Initiated by some companies to improve ship breaking process.

Case Study of Successful and Sustainable Ship Breaking by Green Ship Recycling

Green ship Recycling is a very good ship recycling of India. They do their work very carefully and most effective way so that there should not have any harm to air, water, and Soil. These are the main technique that they use and case studies of successful and sustainable ship breaking they did help them to protect the environment while ship breaking.

1. Green ship recycling uses enclose cutting torch while cutting the ship which helps them to reduce air pollution.

2. There is very less metal dust because this company recycles about 95% of the material from the ship.

3. By using closed-loop water systems they reduce the chances of water pollution drastically. This is the best technique so far for protecting the water from getting polluted. This is how it helps us

   • This process takes less water for ship breaking.

   • This process can prevent the water pollutant to go into the water.

   • This process can also improve the quality of water

These are the way how the case studies of successful and sustainable shipbreaking done by Green Ship Recycling help the environment and Ship too.

Case Study of Successful and Sustainable Ship Breaking by Kroll OnTrack

About Kroll OnTrack is an America-based shipping company that generally operates in America and Europe and they do good practices for ship breaking and recycling. These are following practices mentioned below which they do for Successful and Sustainable Ship Breaking.

1. Effecting way of using water mist to suppress the air pollutant while breaking or recycling the ship. This is the process that has two mechanisms to stop the pollutant which was released while doing ship breaking process. These two mechanisms are mentioned below

   • By performing the coagulation process it prevents the metal particles in go into the air this process is all done by water when the water droplets are mixed with water it makes particles heaver which freely fall down on the surface.

   • And water has a property of high surface tension which have which means once it is mixed with metal particles then the particle will not again airborne

2. And they do not waste their material they recover near about 98% of the material while breaking down a ship.

3. Using environmentally friendly solvents shows that it does not harm any metal while cleaning it.

Conclusion

Recycling and breaking a ship is a very important process. Because everything has a breaking point so does ship too. If this process is not done timely it can cause accidents or worse. But doing this process is very hard and can cause harm to the environment to deal with Case Study of Successful and Sustainable Ship Breaking was done so that the harm can be minimized and to make shipbreaking an environment-friendly process.

Alang shipbreaking yard is the largest ship recycling facility in the world. It is located in the state of Gujarat in India along the coastlines of Alang, 185 miles (298 kilometers) northwest of Mumbai. The shipbreaking yard plays an integral role in the global maritime industry by recycling end-of-life vessels or large abandoned ships. It adheres to environmental and safety measures to maintain a balance between economic growth and environmental responsibility. R.L. Kalthia has brought this blog to shed light on how Alang Shipyard Works and contributes to the global shipbreaking industry.

How Alang Shipyard Works

Exploring the Ship Recycling Process in Alang Shipbreaking Yard

To fully understand how the Alang Shipyard works, it is important to be aware of how the ship recycling process takes place at the shipyard. The process begins with the arrival of ships after the necessary inspections and paperwork are conducted to ensure compliance with regulations. After this, the preparatory regulations are followed to ensure the safety of the workforce working in the shipbreaking yard. The preparatory phase includes the following steps:

Inventory and documentation: An elaborate inventory is created, documenting the ship’s equipment, components, and materials that can be used for further processing and recycling.

Isolation and decontamination: Ships brought for dismantling are loaded with hazardous substances such as oil, fuel, and chemicals. All these toxic substances are removed to ensure a safe working environment for all the workers and minimize the threat to marine biodiversity.

Once the preparatory steps are undertaken the actual dismantling process begins. The dismantling phase comprises several steps concerned with the systematic dismantling of the vessel.

Dismantling Ships in Alang Shipbreaking Yard

The process of dismantling ships is one of the crucial activities carried out at the Alang shipyard. In this, the ship is dismantled into various components and structures. Several technologies and methodologies are utilized to dismantle the vessel as per international rules and regulations. It is done in a systematic way and includes a series of steps to ensure safe and efficient ship recycling while maximizing the recovery of scrap and recyclable material.

The end goal of the dismantling process is to maximize the recovery and recycling of materials while mitigating potential hazards associated with the ship’s recycling process. The dismantling stage requires skilled labor, efficient machinery, and meticulous planning to ensure the safe and effective separation of components and hazardous materials such as Asbestos, lead-based paints, PCBs (Polychlorinated Biphenyls), and other toxic substances. The dismantling process can be summarized in the following steps.

1. Separation of recyclable materials into different categories. Non-ferrous metals, such as copper, aluminum, and brass are separated from other valuable materials like glass, rubber, and plastics, and are segregated for recycling.

2. Using different separation techniques like oxy-fuel cutting, plasma cutting, and mechanical cutting are utilized for the separation of steel structures. The separated steel scrap is carefully organized and prepared for further processing and recycling.

3. Hazardous materials and substances such as Asbestos, lead-based paints, PCBs (Polychlorinated Biphenyls), and other toxic substances are treated as per the environmental regulations to minimize their impact on the environment.

4. Ships brought for recycling also contain non-recyclable material. Therefore, residual waste that cannot be recycled is disposed of in designated landfills or through other internationally approved methods.

Role of Environmental and Safety Measures

Ship recycling involves dealing with hazardous waste that can cause harm to marine and human life. To reduce environmental impact Alang Shipyard follows international standards and regulations, including the Hong Kong International Convention for the Safe and Environmentally Sound Recycling of Ships. It implements various measures to reduce the negative environmental impact as much as it can. Some key measures taken by the Alang Shipyard are mentioned below:

Using exhaust ventilation systems and filters to cut down on the air pollution caused by dust and emissions from cutting and burning activities.

Noise reduction measures, such as noise barriers and ear protection, are brought into use to reduce noise pollution.

Wastewater is treated before being released into the sea to save marine wildlife. To achieve this, effluents from various processes undergo treatment to remove all the toxins and pollutants.

Prioritizing the Safety and Welfare of all the Workers

Alang Shipyard prioritizes the safety and welfare of its workers by following the standard protocols. Major steps taken by the Alang shipyard for the welfare and safety of its workers are mentioned below:

Workers receive training on handling hazardous materials, operating machinery, and following safety protocols to prevent accidents and injuries.

Alang Shipyard adheres to all labor standards, including fair wages, reasonable working hours, and access to medical facilities.

Proper safety gear, including helmets, gloves, goggles, and respiratory masks, is provided to workers to ensure their well-being.

Conclusion

Alang shipbreaking yard is the largest shipbreaking yard in the world known for its sustainable ship recycling activities. The shipyard drives economic development and adheres to stringent environmental and safety standards. The shipbreaking industry at Alang generates significant economic benefits that are beneficial for the development of local people and the economy of the country. If you wish to get access to more such valuable information related to the shipbreaking industry, contact R.L. Kalthia Shipbreaking at info@kalthiashipbreaking.com.

The shipbreaking industry is as old as shipbuilding. Earlier the European and other developed countries were the global centres of ship recycling. However, due to environmental risk factors, developing countries took the lead. Since, then several developing countries such as India, Bangladesh, China, Pakistan, and Turkey have been actively involved in shipbreaking. India has emerged as a leading player in the shipbreaking industry, accounting for 50% of the total shipbreaking activity in the world. 

Several factors combine to make ship dismantling in India, highly lucrative and economically feasible. The factors like easy beaching of vessels, exploitation of huge tidal range, higher scrap value, and cheap workforce have contributed to making India the most profitable destination for shipbreaking. However, there has been high competition from Bangladesh and Pakistan with higher demand for scrap and lower taxes and China is involved in developing environmentally-sound shipbreaking facilities. Let’s dive into the blog brought to you by R.L. Kalthia and dig deeper into ship dismantling in India. 

Overview of Ship Dismantling in India

The ship dismantling industry in India plays a significant role in global ship recycling activities. India ranks among the top countries globally in terms of shipbreaking capacity. Several factors such as cost-effectiveness, a large labor force, and a favorable geographical location make India a preferable location for ship recycling. The Shipbreaking sites in India are distributed along the coastline; prominent among them being Sewri in Mumbai, Maharashtra, Kolkata in West Bengal, and Alang in Gujarat.

Major Locations for Ship Dismantling in India 

Ship recycling practices in India are technically organized, labor intensive, and consist of experience-based management. The shipbreaking industry provides 10-15% of the demand for steel in India. 

India; Home to Biggest Shipbreaking Yard in the World

Alang is also known as the graveyard for ships as the world’s most powerful ships are dismantled here. With the beginning of Alang in 1983, the Shipbreaking industry in India experienced its first major growth spurt in scrapping. Alang has an indomitable role in making India a global center of shipbreaking industry. The range of features that make Alang the biggest shipbreaking yard in the world is given below:

• High inter-tidal gradient and flat surface

• The beach consists of stones and hard clay, the heavy items do not sink in the mud

• Alang has sheltered from high-velocity winds or excessively humid conditions

• the largest tidal ranges of over 11mtrs can take vessels of any kind

As shipbreaking is a labor-intensive industry, Alang has generated tremendous employment possibilities. Alang has given employment opportunities to over 40,000 people. A whopping 200,000 people work in businesses connected to Alang, living in the shanty towns nearby the shipyard. 

Economic Boost with Material Recovery from Ship Dismantling in India

Ships sent for dismantling are a treasure house of metal scrap and other recyclable material. As per the studies, about 99% of the total materials recovered from the ships are recyclable. Of the total recoverable material over 95% is steel, about 1-2% of total LDT (light displacement tonnage) is the other valuable metals and 0.5-8% is furniture and other fixtures. The steel is sold to the re-rolling mills, which is the main source of revenue. The material recovery from the ship dismantling in India is summarized in the table below:

Inventory of recovered material according to the type of ships

The metal scrap recovered from ship recycling has a thriving global market. The revenue generated from ship recycling gives a major boost to the economy. Many purchasers from all around the world visit to buy the recovered metal scrap. 

Ship Dismantling Future Outlook in India

The shipbreaking industry in India is expected to grow at an exponential rate with global fleet renewal and stringent ship recycling. With the increased focus on the safe disposal of hazardous materials recovered from the ship, there has been an increased focus on sustainable practices. 

Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman in the Union Budget 2021-22 talked about the achievement of India’s ship recycling industry. With the increased government incentives the potential of ship dismantling in India to be doubled by 2024 and attract more end-of-life vessels to India from Europe and Japan. 

Conclusion 

Overall, the ship dismantling industry in India has a significant presence in global ship recycling activities, and efforts are being made to ensure responsible and sustainable practices to reduce environmental and social concerns. However, there is still a need for investment in infrastructure, research, and development of advanced technologies that will be crucial for enhancing efficiency, safety, and environmental performance in ship dismantling operations.

The shipbreaking industry is responsible for dismantling end-of-life vessels which if left unchecked can pose a serious threat to the environment. The revenue generated from selling metal scrap and other useful materials recovered from the ships also boosts the economy and generates employment. The average number of large ships being scrapped each year is about 500-700, but taking into account vessels of all sizes this number may be as high as 3,000. With such large figures, ship recycling causes pollution and pose a threat to human and wildlife. Read this blog to know the challenges and opportunities in the shipbreaking industry.

Ships sent for recycling have large amounts of carcinogens and toxic substances (PCBs, PVCs, PAHs, TBT, mercury, lead, isocyanates, and sulfuric acid). These toxic substances are extremely harmful to the workers in the shipyard and the soil it is dumped in. Besides, the challenges the shipbreaking industry also generates a lot of opportunities. In this blog curated by R.L. Kalthia, you can explore various challenges and opportunities in the shipbreaking industry.

Challenges and Opportunities in the Shipbreaking Industry

Addressing the Challenges in the Shipbreaking Industry

The ship recycling industry is struggling with significant challenges that encompass environmental, safety, and regulatory aspects. The challenges have compelled the shipbreaking industry to adopt responsible and sustainable shipbreaking practices. The challenges currently faced by the shipbreaking industry are elaborated below:

Occupational Health and Safety Challenges – Shipbreaking is labor intensive industry that includes cutting through metal structures, handling heavy equipment, and dealing with toxic substances. All these activities expose the workers in the yard to various health risks. The lack of proper safety regulations, inadequate training, and limited protective measures put workers at high risk of accidents, injuries, and even fatalities.

Environmental Challenges – During ship recycling many hazardous chemicals are released from the ships such as asbestos, lead, PCBs (polychlorinated biphenyls), and oil residues. These hazardous substances are a serious threat to the environment and contaminate soil, water bodies, and the surrounding ecosystem, leading to long-term ecological damage.

Regulatory and Legal Challenges – Several international bodies have been established to confront the legal and regulatory challenges of the shipbreaking industry. International regulations such as Basel Convention and the Hong Kong Convention work with the objective to address environmental and safety concerns. However, the implementation of the regulations imposed by these international organizations still remains an issue.

Enormous Opportunities in the Shipbreaking Industry

The shipbreaking industry generates economic opportunities, and technological advancement and fosters sustainable practices. Ship recycling is a labor-intensive industry that helps to generate employment opportunities for the locals and other people involved. The metal scrap recovered from ship recycling has a thriving market.

The ship recycling industry is estimated to be worth over $10 billion per year, and it is expected to grow in the coming years as the global fleet of ships continues to age. The opportunities offered by the shipbreaking industry are summarized below:

The shipbreaking industry is constantly evolving with the development of new technologies. The new technologies are developed with the objective to generate more employment and enhance the safety of the workers.

Ships that arrive for recycling are built with valuable materials such as steel, copper, aluminum, and plastics. The material is sold at a profitable price and attracts customers from all around the world.

The shipbreaking industry employs millions of people generating tremendous employment opportunities. These job opportunities are highly beneficial in the developing industry where a large portion of the population is uneducated and unskilled.

Future Outlook of the Ship Recycling Industry

As the number of end-of-life ships is increasing worldwide, the demand for the shipbreaking industry is also increasing. There is an increasing need for safe and efficient dismantling of ships. There has also been an increased focus on sustainable and environment-friendly ship recycling activities. The future trends in ship recycling will prioritize environmentally friendly ship recycling methods, comprising the safe handling and disposal of hazardous materials, as well as the promotion of circular economy principles. The future trends in the shipbreaking industry encompass:

Regulatory reforms at both the national and international levels.

Innovation in waste management and automation

Promotion of green ship recycling at the global level

Increased focus on worker safety and welfare

Growing emphasis on the sustainable practices

Conclusion

The shipbreaking industry can overcome its challenges by addressing challenges, implementing sustainable practices, and complying with regulations. The industry has the potential to evolve into a safer, more environmentally responsible, and economically viable sector. This can only be achieved by shipowners, shipbreaking yards, governments, international organizations, and environmental and labor advocacy groups working collaboratively.

Ship Recycling Certifications and Standards – Ship Recycling is a necessary act for ships that cause environmental degradation problems. To prevent environmental harm, the internal council for Shipbreaking made it compulsory to have Ship Recycling Certifications and Standards.

It is noted that every ship after 31 December 2018 must have the green flag of Ready for Recycling Certificate (RfRC). The recycling facilities offered by the ship recycling and shipbreaking companies are required to have a spot in the European List of Ship Recycling Facilities.

R.L. Kalthia, a leading shipbreaking company of India situated in Alang, Gujarat offers the best facilities to recycle ships and has valuable Ship Recycling Certifications and Standards maintained in its yard.

Various Ship Recycling Certifications  and Standards

The ship Breaking industry is a huge setup of managing the ship vessel breaking. To maintain the standard or environmental policies, every ship recycling yard needs to follow the standards and have the legal council’s permission. To have the authority for destroying vessels Ship Recycling Certifications and Standards are necessary.

Hong Kong International Convention for the Safe and Environmentally Sound Recycling of Ships (HKC)Certificate is the most common one and is in the knowledge of every ship-breaking yard owner. There are many more certificates that have equal importance.

For your knowledge, here are the listed certificates apart from the Hong Kong International Convention for the Safe and Environmentally Sound Recycling of Ships certificate.

• EU Ship Recycling Regulation (EU SRR)

• ISO 30000: Ship Recycling Management Systems

• Inventory Certificate (IC) or IHM Certificate

For the Ship Recycling companies, following the standards is considered valuable. The general standard maintenance by the ship recycling yards are

• Basel Convention

• Responsible Ship Recycling Standards (RSRS)

• Class Society Guidelines

• Inventory of Hazardous Materials (IHM)

• Environmental Management Systems (EMS)

• Worker Health and Safety Standards

Inventory Certificate (IC) or IHM Certificate

The Certificate is prepared according to the standards and guidelines mentioned in the  MEPC.269(68) 2011 Guidelines Report of Development of the Inventory of Hazardous Materials. The certificate to the authorized Ship breaking company is offered by the respected state of the authorized organizations.

The certificate is offered in there parts IHM Part 1, IHM Part 2, and IHM Part 3

IHM Part 1

It is for the new shipbuilding, and consideration of IHM part 1 is required by the shipbreaking yards. The points mentioned in the documentation by the reduces are suggested by

• Material Declarations (MDs)

• Suppliers’ Declaration of Conformity (SDOC)

These are responsible for the offering of the coatings installed on board a vessel, equipment, machinery, and materials. The required offering is mentioned in Annex 1 and Annex 2.

IHM Part 2 and IHM Part 3 are the waste generated with the operation and the stores which need to be taken care of by shipbreaking owners.  The ships which do not have the IHM certificated need to get it with the approval of all the parts of IHM.

Ready for Recycling Certificate (RfRC)

Ready for Ship Recycling Certificate of RfRC is a Ship Recycling Certification and Standards maintenance which promotes a safe recycling plan for the ship breaking yards. Every ship that is recycled must be disposed of in an orderly manner according to the standards of the ship recycling union.

R.L. Kalthia, a ship-breaking company in the market is the leading ship-breaking company that regularly deals with tonnes of vessel recycling and associates with the standards of the working process.

For the purpose of ship recycling, there are many Ship Recycling Certifications and Standards which are followed by the owners to have a legal authentication.

Under the Ready for Recycling Certificate (RfRC), the recycling process of vessels needed to be done under the authorized company.

EU Ship Recycling Regulation (EU SRR)

Came into the shipbreaking forces in December 2013, it is a compulsion to have the EU Ship Recycling Regulation (EU SRR) certificates for the shipbreaking companies as this helps in reducing the negative impacts which are caused on the environment use to the occurrence of ship dismantling.

The further guidance mentioned in the document states that each and every Ship Recycling Certifications and Standards must be impactfully followed by the ship owners, such as the safety of workers, management of hazardous waste, etc.

Its requirement for IHM is complete as per the standards of the Hong Kong Convention Act but EU SRR’s two add onns in the IHM are different.

1. Brominated Flame Retardant (HBCDD) (for new EU-flagged ships only)

2. Perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS) (for EU-flagged ships only)

For a detailed difference, we have mentioned a clear table underneath.

ISO 30000: Ship Recycling Management Systems

The ISO 30000: Ship Recycling Management Systems, an essential Ship Recycling Certification and Standards justified the maintenance of management standards in the undergoing shipbreaking operations. The certificate is needed to look after the standards of safety and management of the work on the ship-breaking yards.

The certificated is for the eco-sustainable practices performed under the experts’ guidance the methods used in the process of shipbreaking in order to prevent harm to the environment.

Process for the certification

•  Accept the permission, and items, and filling the mentioned questionnaire.

• document verification- Stage 1 audit

• An in-depth audit of the shipping firm- Stage 2 audit

• Certificate commitments

• Maintain the certification with the three years of assessments.

Standards Maintained in Ship Breaking Yards

As per the Ship Recycling Certification and Standards, there are some important standards that are maintained by the authorized unit to be in the legal policy of shipbreaking.

Basel Convention- It justifies the protection of human health on ship-breaking units and preventing environmental damage.

Responsible Ship Recycling Standards (RSRS)-  These are the stranders maintained by the financing institutes of the ship breaking yards.

Class Society Guidelines- It is for the maintenance of the technical standards used in the research by experts.

Inventory of Hazardous Materials (IHM)- It is for the management of hazardous materials.

Environmental Management Systems (EMS)- This justifies the uses of practices performed in the shipbreaking yards to ensure low harm to the environment.

Worker Health and Safety Standards- These are the internal labor laws or safety and their protection with the ship-breaking yard owners follow.

Conclusion

The mentioned  Ship Recycling Certifications and Standards are compulsory for the ship breaking owners to follow. This gives their yard and author for service.

Over the years technological innovations have played a key role in enhancing the efficiency, safety, and environmental sustainability of ship recycling practices. However, up until a few years ago, the scenario was completely different as the yards dismantled end-of-life ships using minimal equipment and obsolete methods. Thanks to IMO Hong Kong Convention and other international initiatives the scenario has changed significantly. With the integration of Technological Innovations in Ship Recycling the shipbreaking industry is leaving behind the old trends and moving forward to adapt people and environment-friendly shipbreaking practices.

Technological innovations have significantly impacted all aspects of ship recycling such as ship demolition, ship design, waste management, and material recovery. In this blog curated by R.L. Kalthia, you will discover different aspects of Technological Innovations in Ship Recycling and future trends in the shipbreaking industry. Many technological innovations in ship recycling are transforming an industry that was once associated with environmental degradation and unsafe working conditions.

Technological Innovations in Ship Recycling

Notable Technological Innovations in Ship Recycling

With the initiatives taken by different stakeholders to develop the ship recycling industry in India have led to a multi-dimensional improvement of recycling yards. The increasing popularity of green ship recycling is one of the major effects of introducing technological innovations in ship recycling. Using technological advancements many ship recycling yards have upgraded their infrastructures to support sustainable dismantling of ships.

Automated dismantling systems have streamlined the ship recycling process. It is an excellent replacement for manual labor which is always at a safety risk. Many advanced cutting techniques have been introduced that generate less heat and noise, making the process safer and more environmentally friendly. The rapidly advancing technology has led to the invention of environmental monitoring systems, ensuring compliance with environmental regulations and preventing pollution, ship recycling facilities employ advanced monitoring systems. The technological advancements and their effect on the ship recycling industry have been summarized in the table below.

Technological Innovation Working Effect

Automated Dismantling Systems Robotic machines, such as cutting torches, plasma cutters, and shearing machines, are used to disassemble ships in a controlled and efficient manner. Streamline the ship recycling process.

Green Ship Recycling Facilities The shipbreaking yards are equipped with containment structures to prevent pollutants, and waste treatment plants for proper disposal of hazardous substances. Minimize the environmental impact of the recycling process

Advanced Cutting Techniques High-pressure water jets and laser cutting enhance precision and speed while minimizing material loss. Make the ship recycling process safer and more environmentally friendly.

Health and Safety Measures Ensure the safety of workers from the hazardous material recovered from the ship. Improved worker safety by introducing advanced personal protective equipment

Environmental Monitoring Systems The system includes sensors, real-time data collection, and remote monitoring to track and manage emissions, water quality, noise levels, and other environmental parameters. Helps identify potential issues and implement corrective measures promptly.

Integrating Circular Economy Principles in the Ship Recycling Industry

In today’s time, the government and businesses are shifting towards adopting the circular economy. For the shipping sector, adapting the circular economy has the potential to transform the way ships are designed built, maintained, and recycled. By integrating shipbreaking into the circular economy framework, the ship recycling industry can reduce its environmental footprint, conserve resources, and contribute to a more sustainable future.

Adopting circular economy principles in ship recycling ensures that valuable materials are recovered, waste is minimized, and the environmental impact is mitigated, leading to a more efficient and sustainable use of resources throughout the ship’s lifecycle. Some key benefits of integrating a circular economy in ship recycling are mentioned below:

Minimize the need for new extraction and production.

Contributing to the generation of clean and sustainable energy.

Reduce waste and resource consumption.

Decrease pollution risks and protect ecosystems

Promotes collaboration and innovation within the maritime industry.

Future Trends in Ship Recycling Industry

The shipbreaking industry is continuously evolving due to the introduction of new technological innovations. To benefit from these changing trends all the stakeholders such as ship owners, recycling yards, regulatory bodies, and researchers shall stay updated.

Of late, many technological advancements such as robotics, automation, and digitalization have been introduced that hold the potential to shape the ship recycling industry in the upcoming years. All these trends and innovations reflect the ship recycling industry’s commitment to sustainable practices, environmental stewardship, and worker safety.

Conclusion

Technological innovations have revolutionized the ship recycling industry. The adoption of green ship recycling facilities, automated dismantling systems, advanced cutting techniques, and waste treatment technologies have geared the industry toward a more sustainable and responsible approach. However, for the successful implementation of these technological advancements, there is a need to foster collaboration among stakeholders, encourage transparency, and invest in research and development. Only then, the ship recycling industry can continue to engage in safe ship recycling practices while promoting sustainability, safety, and efficiency, paving the way for a more sustainable future in ship recycling.

Mapping the supply chain of ship recycling – Ship recycling is dismantling vessels for the purpose of recovering metal scrap and other valuable materials. One of the most important steps in the entire ship recycling is the shipbreaking process in which most of the regulation is required. Mapping the Supply Chain of Ship Recycling is the study of the various steps that take place during ship recycling. It includes all the rules and regulations, the dismantling of ships, and the recovery of metal scrap and steel.

If you wish to know more about ship recycling, R.L. Kalthia has mapped the supply chain of ship recycling. It will give you a general view of the entire journey of end-of-life-vessels. 

Beginning of Ship Lifecycle and Decommissioning 

The supply chain of ship recycling begins with the arrival of end-of-life vessels at the shipyards. The recycling of the ship starts with the shipowner who is disposing of the vessel and ends with the customer interested in buying the steel and metal scrap recovered from the ship. The decision to decommission a ship is complex and influenced by a variety of factors. The decision can be influenced by economic considerations, adherence to the regulations, technological advancements, and environmental concerns. 

Some of the factors influencing the decommissioning of ships and announcing them as end-of-life vessels are briefed below:

• Ships have a limited working time span and become prone to wear and tear with time. 

• Increased and expensive repairing costs of ships can make them a burden and eligible for shipbreaking. 

• Economic factors such as fuel prices, and changes in supply and chain demands make it economically rational to abandon the ships.

• The demand for specific types of ships can change with economic conditions and industry requirements.

• A high resale value of ships can compel the shipowner to decommission to enjoy financial benefits. 

Breaking Down the Shipbreaking Process

One of the major components of the supply chain of ship recycling is the dismantling of end-of-life vessels. It comprises various steps undertaken under the guidance of many experts. The shipbreaking process begins with the arrival of the vessel at the shipyard. Before starting the shipbreaking process, the vessel undergoes preliminary inspection to maintain an Inventory of hazardous material (IHM). The dismantling process is briefed below:

Removal of Hazardous Material 

• End-of-life vessels arrive at the shipbreaking yard and are dragged to the shore.

• After the preliminary inspection, all the hazardous materials are inspected and noted down in the Inventory of Hazardous Materials (IHM)

• All the hazardous materials such as asbestos, Polychlorinated biphenyls(PCBs), and lead are recovered from the ship and disposed of properly while performing all the precautionary measures for the worker’s safety and environmental protection. 

Dismantling and Cutting Scrap Material 

• The steel and metal covering the vessel are dismantled using various cutting technologies such as dry docking method, inter tidal landing method, artificial reefing, and hulking. 

• Different materials such as steel, plastic, and electronics are separated from each other. 

Material Separation and Recovery

• After the material is recovered in the large pieces of scarp it is separated into different categories. 

• A wide range of recovery methods are used to recover the material and further sell it at profitable margins in the market. 

Besides, these crucial components the mapping of ship recycling also includes the key aspects of worker’s safety, waste management, and environmental and safety considerations. 

Impact of Regulations on the Supply Chain Management

Once the need for regulating the ship recycling process was globally recognized, many international bodies and organizations were established. Many international conventions such as the Hong Kong International Convention, Basal Convention, and EU Ship Recycling Regulations were introduced. The regulations laid by these organizations have a vital impact on the supply chain and certification of facilities for ship recycling. 

These regulations are framed to encourage worker safety, ethical shipbreaking practices, and environmental protection throughout the ship recycling process. They give a roadmap on how ships are dismantled, materials are handled, and waste is managed, promoting sustainable shipbreaking. The key components of the supply chain of ship recycling influenced by the regulations are briefed below:

• The main objective of the regulations is to minimize the environmental impact of ship recycling.

• The regulations tackle the waste disposal problems in ship recycling and outline different methods for proper disposal. 

• The guidelines also ensure that the worker’s safety is never compromised and proper measures are taken for their safety. 

• Some regulations are focused on shipbreaking techniques to reduce noise, emissions, and potential threats to the workers. 

Conclusion

Mapping the supply chain of ship recycling is a complex process involving stakeholders and regulations that lay guidelines to promote the sustainable and responsible dismantling of ships. The journey of a ship from its active services to the recycling stage is about safeguarding our oceans, reducing environmental impact, and building a future where responsible supply chain management is a norm in the shipbreaking industry. The insights from learning about the supply chain of ship recycling can encourage shipyard owners to adopt sustainable shipbreaking practices. 

Ship dismantling or ship recycling involves material recovery and waste management of many hazardous materials. To ensure safe, environment-friendly recycling of ships, Responsible Ship Recycling Standards (RSRS) were introduced by the Hong Kong International Convention. The main purpose of the Responsible Ship Recycling Standards is to address the concerns related to human health and the environment posed by unregulated ship recycling practices.

In this blog compiled by R.L. Kalthia Shipping Company, you will learn about the role of Responsible Ship Recycling Standards in promoting sustainable practices in the shipbreaking industry. These ship recycling standards are also responsible for setting the criteria for ship recycling facilities and giving guidelines on the necessary infrastructure, equipment, and trained personnel to carry out recycling operations safely. To know more about the Responsible Ship Recycling Standards go through the blog below. 

A Closer Look at the Responsible Ship Recycling Standards (RSRS)

Responsible Ship Recycling Standards (RSRS) were laid down in the year 2017 under the Hong Kong International Convention for the Safe and Environmentally Sound Recycling of Ships. It currently consists of 12 members including major European ship financiers. The RSRS comprises voluntary guidelines, especially for the financial institutions active in the ship recycling industry. 

The requirements mentioned in the RSRS are framed around Hong Kong 

Convention. All the regulations and standards are applicable to labor & human rights, anti-corruption, and review activities regarding downstream waste 

management activities. Go through the key features of RSRS mentioned below to know more about the role of these standards in promoting the safe and sound recycling of ships. 

• Recommend highly beneficial guidelines for the proper handling, disposal, and removal of hazardous material recovered from the ships. 

• Ensure the safety and welfare of the workers by addressing safety concerns and the necessity of personal protective equipment. 

• Helps in documenting the entire ship recycling process and promotes transparency. 

• Adhere to international agreements such as the Hong Kong International Convention for the Safe and Environmentally Sound Recycling of Ships. 

Role of Banks in Implementing Responsible Ship Recycling Standards

Banks are a prominent source of funding for ship owners and operators willing to build purchase, or repair vessels. Their involvement in the shipbreaking industry can be justified by the fact that finance is a crucial aspect of any industry and can easily promote shipbreaking practices. The banks integrate the Responsible Ship Recycling Standards (RSRS) in their Environment, Social, and Governance (ESG) policies and aim to improve ship recycling practices. 

The role of banks in promoting the guidelines by RSRS are mentioned below:

• Not getting involved in the financing of unsustainable recycling facilities.

• Integrate RSRS into their ESG policies and lending practices to promote environment-friendly shipbreaking practices. 

• Encourage discussion with the clients around the policies and practices related to ship dismantling. 

• Promote RSRS and the importance of sustainable ship recycling and offshore industries. 

• Encourage other banks to adopt Responsible Ship Recycling Standards.

• Offer financial incentives and rewards to the ship owners who adhere to the RSRS guidelines. 

• Establish mechanisms for ongoing monitoring and reporting of ship recycling practices of their clients.

Striking a Balance Between Environmental and Economic Considerations

Since, the launch of Responsible Ship Recycling Standards in 2017 many new guidelines or standards have been introduced. The new standards were adopted and got finally approved in 2021. One of the main changes was brought in the expansion of the scope of the RSRS with mobile offshore units, such as oil and gas platforms. However, to successfully implement the Responsible Ship Recycling Standards at a global scale it is important to maintain a balance between environmental and economic considerations. 

This balance can be brought about through thoughtful planning, collaboration, and innovative solutions. The strategies to focus on environmental and economic aspects of Responsible Ship Recycling Standards (RSRS) are mentioned below:

Incentives on Sustainable Practices: One of the best ways to promote sustainable ship recycling practices is through incentivizing such practices by Government and international bodies. 

Green Innovation: Encouraging innovation in shipbreaking technologies can lead to the creation of more efficient and less polluting ship dismantling methods. 

Capacity Building: With proper training for the workers and safe dismantling practices the safety and well-being of the workers can be ensured. This can also enhance the efficiency of the ship recycling process. 

Collaboration and Dialogue: By encouraging the dialogue among governments, industry players, environmental organizations, and local communities more efficient ways of implementing the Responsible Ship Recycling Standards can be encouraged. 

Conclusion 

In the coming years, the members of Responsible Ship Recycling Standards aim to promote these guidelines and commitments. This can be brought about by engaging with clients and the broader financial sector on the new standards. Another goal is to recruit banks from a wide array of geographies in order to make an impact on a global scale. One should also know that Responsible Ship Recycling Standards may vary from one region to another and are subject to updates and revisions as the industry evolves. 

Landing of Vessels for Shipbreaking – All the ships have a life tenure particular to their age limit. Once the ship loses its capability to carry out the operations smoothly it is usually sent for recycling also called shipbreaking. Landing of vessels for shipbreaking also called ship dismantling is the process of dismantling large and abandoned ships for the purpose of recovering valuable metal scrap and other valuable materials having high cost in the market. The process is usually carried out in specific locations near the coastlines also known by the name shipbreaking yards. 

Landing of vessels for shipbreaking has become a prominent activity in developing countries such as Bangladesh, India, Pakistan, Taiwan, and other major developing countries in the world with thriving coastlines. The main objective of the ship recycling process is to recover valuable material from end-of-life vessels such as steel, non-ferrous metals, and various equipment. It is also responsible for disposing of hazardous materials including many radioactive materials in an environmentally safe manner. 

Different Landing Methods and Their Impact on Shipbreaking

There is a myriad of ship landing methods that are used to dismantle end-of-the-life vessels. These different landing methods have a significant impact on the various aspects of ship recycling. It can affect the worker’s safety, the environment, and the overall project cost. Each method offers a specific advantage and is used as per the demands of a particular shipbreaking process. 

To make an informed decision regarding the Landing of vessels for shipbreaking you shall consider several factors such as available infrastructure, safety considerations, ships’ size, environmental regulations, and the shipbreaking yard’s capabilities. You can also prioritize a landing method in shipbreaking while keeping your end goal in mind. 

Some of the commonly used methods for shipbreaking are briefed below:

1. Dry Dock Method: One of the best methods to perform shipbreaking in a controlled environment. This method is also beneficial in preventing pollution as the ship is dismantled in a secluded dry dock. 

2. Beaching Method: This method is commonly used for smaller vessels or ships with shallow draft. It is a cost-effective method where the ship is intentionally grounded on a sloping beach or tidal flats. 

3. Inter-Tidal Landing Method: In this landing method with the help of winches the cutting process is carried out under the supervision of an expert. The ship is usually dragged to the beach during the high tide. 

4. Slipway method: This method is conducted on a slipway or a ramp that is inclined in the water. It is suitable for smaller ships and also useful in managing pollution. 

Location Trends for the Landing of Vessels for Shipbreaking

In its budding stages, the landing of vessels for shipbreaking was centered in the port cities of industrialized countries such as the United Kingdom and the United States. With the serious environmental threats posed by the shipbreaking and high requirement of labor, the shipbreaking industry shifted to the developing countries in the East. By the mid-20th century, the eastern countries with lower labor costs and prominent coastlines started dominating the shipbreaking industry.  

With the rising labor cost the shipbreaking industry again shifted to countries such as India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh from Hong Kong and Japan. In 1977 Taiwan took the lead and was dominating half the market share followed by Spain, Pakistan, and India. With time, India became home to the largest shipbreaking yard in the world; the Alang Shipbreaking Yard in Gujarat.  The countries leading the shipbreaking industry in current times are demonstrated below in the table. 

Role of Different Conventions and Regulations 

One of the major drawbacks of conventional shipbreaking has always been the risk posed to the environment, wildlife, and human life. To make the Landing of vessels for shipbreaking more environment-friendly and sustainable several conventions and regulations have been launched at the national and international levels. 

Several international such as the Hong Kong International Convention, Basal Convention, and many others are introduced to strictly monitor the shipbreaking process. All these conventions lay down guidelines for the shipbreaking yards and other parties involved to make it more sustainable and safer for the workers and wildlife that may be affected. Some of the main objectives of these conventions are mentioned below:

• Operations of ship recycling facilities in a safe and environment-friendly manner

• Optimize the design, construction, operation, and preparation of ships to encourage safe and environmentally sound recycling, without compromising the safety and operational efficiency of ships. 

• Establishing a robust and sustainable infrastructure for the landing of vessels for shipbreaking. 

Conclusion

The shipbreaking industry is rapidly advancing and opting for more environmentally stable and sustainable options. With gradual changes and developments landing of vessels for shipbreaking will completely change within a few years. Green ship recycling and other regulations by Hong Kong International Conventions will completely transform shipbreaking practices all around the globe. 

Occupational Safety of Ship Breaking Workers – The average life of a ship is 20 – 25 years. Without the shipbreaking industry, the significant number of ships dismantled each year would have become a navigational and environmental hazard. However, ship breaking, despite all the benefits, comes with its own set of challenges. An average ship sent for shipbreaking comprises a large amount of carcinogenic and toxic substances such as PCBs, PVCs, PAHs, TBT, mercury, lead, asbestos, and POPs. On dismantling the ship, these toxic substances pose a serious risk to the occupational safety of shipbreaking workers. 

In this blog, compiled by R.L. Kalthia Shipbreaking Company, you can gain more insights into the Occupational Safety of Ship Breaking Workers and how different international conventions are working to tackle these occupational hazards and worker safety concerns. 

Occupational Health Hazards in Shipbreaking 

Ship Breaking is a difficult process to carry out due to the structural complexity of ships and environmental safety and health hazards. Majorly the ship dismantling of vessels is carried out in the informal sector and is seldom subjected to safety controls or inspections. Several ship dismantling operations expose the workers to a wide range of occupational hazards, workplace injuries or even death. 

The Occupational Safety of Ship Breaking Workers is a further risk due to inadequate worker training and fire-protection measures. The lack of personal protective equipment is another reason that is likely to cause work-related injuries in the workers. Some of the shipbreaking yards lack waste management systems or facilities to prevent pollution, which further damages the surrounding environment, the local communities, fishery, agriculture, flora and fauna.  

Different types of Hazards Encountered During the Shipbreaking:

International Labour Organization (ILO) for Promoting Occupational Safety of Shipbreaking Workers 

The International Labour Organization (ILO) has been established to provide assistance to ensure safe work in shipbreaking and promote occupational safety. The guidelines concerned with the worker’s safety were approved by the governing body of the ILO and published the guidelines at its 289th session of March, 2004. However, the practical use of these guidelines is dependent on local circumstances, scale of operations, technical possibilities, and financial resources. 

Technical cooperation is highly important to implement the guidelines for the occupational safety of shipbreaking workers. The guidelines have taken inspiration from the Guidelines on Occupational Safety and Health Management Systems, ILO-OSH 200. All the guidelines are framed in accordance with the following mentioned international organizations and conventions: 

• International Maritime Organization (IMO)

• Basel Convention on the Control of Transboundary Movements of Hazardous Wastes and their Disposal

• Convention on the Prevention of Marine Pollution by Dumping of Wastes and Other Matter (London Convention, 1972, and Protocol, 1996)

• International Chamber of Shipping (ICS)

• Industry Code of Practice on Ship Recycling

Many developing countries participated in the ILO (International Labour Organization), such as Bangladesh, China, India, Pakistan and Turkey. 

General Provisions of the International Labour Organization (ILO) 

Ship recycling is not a recognized industry in many countries. Therefore, the workers are not protected by any labour laws. Although a wide range of toxic substances found on the ships such as asbestos, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), toxic paint such as tributyltin (TBT), and heavy metals are currently banned, they can still be found on the ships built 20 – 30 years ago. Therefore, the protection and safety of workers handling hazardous substances becomes crucial. 

The guidelines set by the International Labour Organization play a major role in the promotion of Occupational Safety of Ship Breaking Workers. The general provisions set by the ILO contribute in the following way in safeguarding the worker’s safety: 

1. Protect the shipbreaking workers from workplace hazards and work-related injuries. 

2. Improving the management of occupational safety and health issues in or about the workplace. 

3. Implementation and integration of the occupational safety and health (OSH) management systems aimed at improving the working conditions. 

4. Establish the duties and responsibilities of the authorities, employers, workers and other bodies involved in the shipbreaking. 

5. Lay guidelines to frame national policy and principles on occupational safety and health and welfare of persons employed in shipbreaking facilities. 

Conclusion 

With the new advancements in the shipbreaking industry, the focus has been shifted to issues such as Occupational Safety of Ship Breaking Workers, green ship recycling and waste management. With increased awareness and government initiatives, more and more shipbreaking yards are following rules and regulations set by international conventions such as the Hong Kong Convention, Basal Convention and other organizations. All, the shipbreaking industry needs is strict rules and regulations for the implementation of guidelines set by the ILO. 

Top Ship-Breaking Yard in India- Over the period, there has been a noticeable situation change in our environment. Evolution has to lead human civilization towards innovating technology. If we consider the shipping business, the approximate lifespan of every ship is not more than 25 to 30 years; after that, its maintenance primarily becomes costly. With this, the tragic factor affecting the ship’s quality is that it faces issues with the floating process too. On the contrary basis, earlier the recycling process that took place for the ship recycling process consisted of the zero effort policies. The ship companies used to send the ship to the outskirts and then, these were kept there through so they can decay themselves. Now, this was initially called the graveyard for the shipbreaking companies but the times have changed and now there is an investment seen in the Green Ship Recycling Yards.

Previously, then companies dealing with the shipbreaking business were not that much aware of the environment but soon after the end of the world wars, many coastlines in India became the Top Ship-Breaking Yard in India, and with this, as the revolution was noticed, the changes were seen in the work process. The shipping yards or we say the ship graveyard improvised their methods by adopting environmentally friendly methods which consist of the technology that gave birth to the Green Ship Recycling Yards. 

How Do the Top Ship-Breaking Yards in India Work?

We are aware that many of your struggle with the pooping question that how the Green Ship Recycling Yards work and especially what kind of method they use for the process to start.

Talking about the process under use, well the beginning work of these Green Ship Recycling Yards is to use the level of disposal methods that help in the breakages of the ship but do not cause any harmful impact on the environment. These have the vessels that help in dismantling the various parts of the ships and then finally lead to the separation stage.  These yards are situated far from the main region and the work that has taken place involves the usage process which disposes of the ship in the best manner. 

Top Ship-Breaking Yard in India- Alang

Talking about India, as per the statistics of 1994-2002, the country dealt with the recycling of many ships among which the total number of vessels was 2245, a total of Ltd. as in Million tons was 16,135, 949. considering the percentage factor of vessels, it stood at 58.25 along with the tonnage percentage of 45.09. Moving towards the knowledge of the best and the leading Top Ship-Breaking Yards in India, here we the expert of R.L. Kalthia Ship Breaking Private Limited present you with the appropriate knowledge of the known Green Ship Recycling Yards which are in the business for many years.

Alang Ship Breaking Yard

Alang Ship Breaking Yard is one the biggest shipping yard in India that consists of an extreme capacity under which it decomposes plenty of ships at one go. This one follows the technology of Green Ship Recycling Yards. As per the statistics of 2012, we have seen a noted rise in the lead of Alang Shipping yard as over half of the ships of the world came here to get the best decomposition.

Establishing Year of  this Top Ship-Breaking Yards in India- 1983

Located: Alang, Gujarat in India

Considered to be the leading in the Green Ship Recycling Yard, there are numerous ships that come here just to have a peaceful and healthy demolishing death. The place consists of plots of ship graveyards that provide benefiting resources which term fully benefit the decomposition purposes of many vessels at a time. Alang being the Top Ship-Breaking Yards in India uses premium technology methods that assist the recycling process in an authenticated manner without harming the technology.

Consisting Plots- 183 along

Length ( in Coastline)– 14 kilometers (8.7 mi)

Total Light Displacement Tonnage Capacity- 4.5 million

Green Ship Recycling Technology in Alang

Being the Top Ship-Breaking Yard in India, Alang follows a capacitive technology method of Green ship Recycling. Alang is known to promote the possibilities of decaying methods which significantly helps in decaying and decomposing ships in natural ways. The place is home if ship recycling plots that offer the decay of every ship of retired vessels ranging from smaller to medium to large in sizes. This is one of the largest Green Ship Recycling Yards in India and currently, the government of India is initiating the resources for its further development.

Since its establishment, it is noted to offer a revenue of  USD $110.6. Apart from this, it is estimated that over 90% of the country’s ships are dismantled here. The processes are taken care of by a technician who insisted on working by reducing the waste of scrapping at a beach, taking care pier, and the dry dock too.

Infractural Facilities in Alang

A ship-breaking port in India, located in the state of Gujarat is noted to have a latitude of 20°54’N and a longitude 71°30’E. Some private companies are situated here and deal in the shipbreaking business. along with this, as the companies are the leading ones, these follow the advanced methods of technology through which they decompose the ship using the Green Ship Recycling method. Because of this act, this is known as the Top Ship-Breaking Yard in India. The yard is the Top Ship-Breaking Yard in India and provides the best in fractures for shipbreaking and dis metalling. The area occupied is large in order to prevent the exploitation of water and the existing life in it. The yard consists of recycling methods that are known to destroy the vessels in an informative manner.

Elemental Benefits of Choosing Alang

Alang is the largest ship recycling yard in the whole country of India. This benefits not just benefit the people coming to have their ships recycled but also is beneficial in adapting environmental standards. This thereby keeps the protection of the environment. Holding the largest capacity it has collaborated with Hong Kong Convention officials to keep up the up-to-date technology methods. Here are some benefits to get the ships recycled in Alang.

Popular in the Ship Recycling Industry

The Top Ship-Breaking yards in India, known to dismantle ships offered the recycling of ships not just for commercial purposes but also for the ones with an army background. Alang gained fame as one of the best Green Ship Recycling Yards when it processed the dismantling of INS Vikrant. 

Technologically Advanced

Gujarat is one of the oldest centers for Green Ship Recycling Yards. This is known to have the best and the good works force under which it complies with the largest vessels and uses the latest technology for the breakage of ships. This uses heavy machinery which results in the healthy dismantling of ships.

Affordable Choice for the Shipe Owners

Being one of the Top Ship-Breaking yards in India, this is known to have the supreme business by the breakage and recycling of the ships. This is known to have the prominent techniques by which it dismantles both types of ships, be they small or large ones. The cost of dismantling the vessels is term fully low than others around in the competition.

Largest gateway to Dismental Ships

This being the Top Ship-Breaking Yard in India uses diversified technologies. This Green Ship Recycling Yard is in the business of dismantling ships since 1983. It has a long gateway and is known to break both kinds of vessels. For the maximum, it deals in oil dismantling ships.

Organized Workforce

It is one of the biggest and longs Ship Breaking ports in India. The workforce here has suitable methods by which it dements the waste of ships and also recycles the mental scraps available by it too. Being the Top Ship-Breaking yards in India, the recycling process it follows is totally on the terms of Green Ship Recycling Yards in India.

Conclusion

From the above discussion, we have got to know that there are different types of ship-breaking ports among which most of these use the latest technology in eco-friendly ways. Along with this, as being the Top Ship-Breaking yard in India, these are also known as the Green Ship Recycling Yards which deal with different ship dismantling. Among these most of the shipbreaking yards are working but few are closed now.

Along the vast coastline of Gujarat, is situated Alang ship breaking yard. Also, known to be the world’s largest shipbreaking yard, it is stretched along a distance of 15 km. Shipbreaking is simply defined as dismantling colossal shipwrecks that can significantly impact marine flora and fauna. A trend that was mainly spread in the American and European subcontinent reached India in 1983. Alang, a small town in Bhavnagar in the state of Gujarat is a literal graveyard of the ships.

Since, its inception in 1983, the yard is believed to have amassed a total of $110.6 billion, including all the assets. Each year a large number of ships arrive at Alang ship breaking yard to be finally broken down into several components that are recycled further into useful products. Choosing a desolate location such as Alang is backed up by several strategic reasons. Alang’s beachfront is ideal for ship-breaking activities. Its natural slope and heavy tides make it easier for ships to run on the shore. Let’s dive deeper into the Alang shipbreaking yard in Gujarat, India and crack open its working and future trends.

A glimpse into the history of Alang Ship Breaking Yard Gujarat, India

A ship on average has a life span of 25 – 30 years after which it becomes a hazard to the environment. As defined by the U.S. occupational safety and health administration, shipbreaking is any breaking of a vessel’s structure for the purpose of scrapping the vessel, including the removal of gear, equipment or any component of a vessel. Shipbreaking utilises this opportunity and salvages abandoned or aged ships which are further processed into ferrous products. Shipbreaking was historically done in European dry dock facilities by skilled workers. As time progressed, developed countries imposed stringent environmental policies and shifted shipbreaking entirely to developing countries such as India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Taiwan.

In India, shipbreaking was limited to Darukhana yard, near Mumbai. However, the activity was small-scale and only involved small ships. In the late 1970s, the government decided to import non-useable ships and the need for more ship-breaking yards was realised. Gujarat embraced the movement as there was high demand for steel and scrape. A search mission was started by Gujarat Maritime Board (GMB) to locate an ideal location for a shipbreaking yard. After meticulously analysing different locations, Alang came off as an ideal place with favourable environmental conditions.

By the dawn of the 1980s, Asian yards came into existence. Despite the late establishment, Asia accounted for over 95% of the industry. Alang shipbreaking yard is dominating the industry and holds the first position in Asia as well as in the entire world. India is followed by Bangladesh which holds the second position. Between the periods of 1994 – 2002, a total of 3854 ships were dismantled out of which 58% were disassembled in India alone. This data is represented in the following table:

Number of Ships by breaking location and their tonnage, 1994-2002

The table demonstrates that the top six destinations in the list are Asian countries. The date 13th February 1983 marks the day when the first ship known as MV Kota Tenjong, was broken down at Alang ship breaking yard. Since then Alang shipbreaking yard is growing by lead and bounds and has prompted its extension northeast towards Sosiya in Gujarat.

What makes Alang ship breaking yard the largest in the world?

Alang is a small coastal village in the district of Bhavnagar, Gujarat. Before shipbreaking became a success in the state, Alang was dominated by a small population of fishermen and farmers. Currently, it houses the largest shipping yard in the world, stretched along a distance of 15 km, comprising two yards (Alang and Sosiya). The Alang yard bears the capacity to dismantle to break VLCCs1 and ULCCs2 vessels, a facility not available to any other shipbreaking countries in the world. Unlike other developed countries, the shipbreaking industry is labour-intensive instead of capital-intensive. Having surplus labour allows India to meet the workforce requirements at reasonable rates, generating huge profits. There is a myriad of industries that depend on Alang shipbreaking yards. The number of people linked to the Alang shipbreaking yard in Gujarat, India can be estimated between 1.5 lakhs to 1.6 lakhs. The industries and businesses in direct link with Alang yard are downstream industries generated by the shipbreaking industry such as re-rolling mills, foundries, oxygen plants, local scrap stores, transportation companies and other small local businessmen and upstream activities such as brokers, service sectors etc.

As the shipbreaking industry geared towards the developing countries during 80, India took the industry by storm. What differentiates Alang from the rest of the ship-breaking yards is the back-in-the-time approach of the businessmen. The shipbreaking industry generates a lot of employment opportunities and also provides raw materials that can be further recycled into valuable industrial items. Unlike, other yards ships are dismantled at Alang with bare hands and piece by piece. The workers there don’t use highly sophisticated machinery to scrape off the shipwreck. The process ushers in when a person, government or any authority sell their ship to one of the Alang ship breakers and they reel in profit from recycling material from the ship. Alang coastline is divided into several plots owned by approximately 180 ship breakers. The existing site of the Alang-Sosiya shipbreaking yard (ASSBY) comprises 183 plots of different sizes. More than half of the plots are of the larger size used to break larger ships whereas the rest of the small plots are used to break medium-sized ships.

Ships Broken at Alang Ship Breaking Yard 

Consistent with Alang’s graveyard-like atmosphere, on any given day almost 200 beaches stand at different dissections of yards. Following the high demand for scrape and steel in Gujarat, Gujarat Maritime Board (GMB) carried out an intensive survey of the coastal region and identified Alang as the most suitable site for developing shipbreaking activity due to the following reasons:

• Proximity to the high tide zone where tide reaches up to 10 to 11 metres. Most favourable condition for ship breaking activity.

• The sloppy coast of Alang and a long dry area facilitated to reach up the shipwrecks.

• Alang is located at the Gulf of Khambhat whose harbours are protected areas during the rainy season, allowing shipbreaking facilities.

• The sea bed at Alang dries up quickly even during the monsoons, providing an ideal atmosphere to handle shipbreaking material.

• Alang is a desolate location far away from competitive activities such as fishing, farming, and merchandise.

How does the shipbreaking work at Alang Yard Gujarat, India?

A ship en route to its final destination arrives at the Alang’s shore and lurches forward until it stops. Workers shackle the ship to the ground and use basic chains, and cable machines to further drag the ship onto the ground. The first step is to empty the fuel tank to prevent an explosion. It is mandatory for the crew to show the Gurajat official overseeing the site that the fuel tank is empty before proceeding with the scrapping. A team of scrappers take a walk through the whole ship and identify items that can be resold such as flags and ship’s logs to liquor and narcotics. After this, the scrappers take off all the valuable electronics, wiring and plumbing. Alang also hosts a famous scrape market that invites businessmen from all around the world.

Post the initial scrapping rituals, actual destruction begins. The shipboard supervisor examines the shipwreck and inspects the ship to decide the best course of action. There is no established set of ways to dismantle a ship. Through the years of experience of the shipboard supervisor, a course of the plan is decided according to which the dismantling process begins.  After the supervisor’s walk-through, the workers begin to disassemble the ship piece by piece using torches, sledgehammers, and sheer elbows. It can take from a week to a year to completely dismantle a ship. Alang has a working force of 40,000 workers living around the shanty towns surrounding the coast. Additional 200,000 people are a part of Alang’s business chain. The shipbreaking industry is labour-intensive and does not depend on machinery for getting the work done. Shipbreakers require very little physical assets and sunk capital. The majority of the capital is spent on hiring a workforce and renting the beach.

Upgrade Plans by Government

In the year 2010, the governments of Gujarat and Japan signed a memorandum of understanding. Under this memorandum, Japan offered technical assistance and financial aid in upgrading the yard’s operations to meet international standards. This project aimed to make Alang the largest International Maritime Organization-compliant ship recycling yard in the world. The initiative was a part of the Delhi-Mumbai Industrial Corridor an international industrial development project supported by the governments of India and Japan and carried out as a public-private partnership.

Several improvement schemes were ushered in during the year 2017 when the Japanese International Cooperation Agency provided a loan of $76 million and the Gujarati Maritime Board provided $35 million toward improvements.

Prominent ships salvaged at Alang ship breaking yard

Being the largest ship-breaking yard in the world, Alang has dismantled some prominent ships around the world. Check out the list below to find out some prominent ships salvaged at Alang ship breaking yard, Gujarat:

1. In the year 2004, the Regal V, popular for a deadly fire in 1990 when it was known as the Scandinavian Star was salvaged at Alang.

2. On 18 November 2009, the French aircraft carrier Clemenceau was dismantled in Alang.

3. In December 2009, the longest ship ever built, Seawise Giant, was disassembled at Alang ship breaking yard.

Conclusion 

Alang shipbreaking yard, Gujarat, India dominates the global shipbreaking scenario. It has transformed the shipbreaking landscape in the country with its favourable climatic conditions and proximity to high tides. Alang is immensely contributing to employment generation and provides an optimum disposal solution to huge cargo ships from all around the world. The Alang yard is always under government official supervision to ensure that all standard procedures are followed and no accident takes place. Alang shipbreaking yard will continue to rule the shipbreaking global scenario for many years to come.

Once the lifecycle of a ship reaches its final stage, it is sent for shipbreaking where all the hazardous materials used in its construction are exposed putting human life and the environment in danger. When dismantling a vessel (ship) several onboard hazardous materials are recovered such as asbestos, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), glass fiber, solid foam, and waste oil can incur severe negative implications on the environment and human health. Long-term exposure to heavy metals like mercury, and lead, usually found in paints and batteries can cause neurological damage in workers.

As the awareness regarding the harmful impact of onboard hazardous material grew, several initiatives were taken in response to safety and environmental concerns. These initiatives sought to regulate the inventory and management of hazardous materials throughout the lifecycle of a ship, in particular the Hong Kong Convention and the EU Ship Recycling Regulation (EU SRR). These regulations ensure that onboard hazardous materials do not contaminate the environment or cause harm to human life. One such regulation introduced IHM or Inventory of Hazardous Material which is a document containing all the details about the material involved in the construction of any ship.

What is the Inventory of Hazardous Materials and How is it Used for Ship Recycling?

History of IHM (Inventory of Hazardous Materials) and How it came into Being

During the year 2009, in International Maritime Organization (IMO) adopted the ‘Hong Kong International Convention for the Safe and Environmentally Sound Recycling of Ships’ at a diplomatic conference in Hong Kong (the Convention). The convention was held with an agenda to “prevent, reduce, minimize and, to the extent practicable, eliminate accidents, injuries and other adverse effects on human health and the environment caused by ship recycling, and enhance ship safety, protection of human health and the environment throughout a ship’s operating life.”

The year 2013, witnessed the implementation of EU Ship Recycling Regulation No 1257/2013 which addressed the issue and made it mandatory for ship owners to maintain an inventory of hazardous materials recovered from the shipbreaking. As per Chapter 2, regulation 5 of the Convention and Article 5 of the EU SRR set out the requirements for every ship under the IMO and EU flag to carry and maintain an Inventory of Hazardous Materials (IHM) specifying the location and quantities of each material, verified by the relevant administration or authority.

Also known as the green passport of ships, the IHM covers the full details of a ship right from construction up to the scrapping and recycling at the end of the ship’s operating life. The IHM is specific to each ship and covers the whole life of a ship.

Important Certifications in Regard to IHM

As per the IMO guidelines, there are two main IHM certificates required for IHM compliance. These two certificates are The International Certificate on Inventory of Hazardous Materials and an International Ready for Recycling Certificate. If a ship is found that does not possess both certificates, an inspection is supposed to be carried out under IMO guidelines. The process of acquiring IHM certification can be summed up in the following three steps:

IHM preparation: In the first step, the agreement for the IHM preparation is signed, followed by an onboard inspection. After this, the IHM and the report are prepared and submitted to the owner.

RO approval: The agreement for IHM approval is signed and related documents are reviewed. After adding the comments if any, the approval letter is submitted to the ship owner.

IHM initial survey: The last step is covered by onboard verification of the IHM, catering to a specific checklist. The verification may take a few hours, after which if everything complies with the IHM compliance is issued in the name of the shipowner, for a maximum time of 5 years with the main class renewal date.

Role of IHM in Ship Recycling

IHM provides the full details of onboard hazardous materials that can be recovered from shipbreaking. Besides saving time and effort in identifying all the material, a directory such as IHM is elemental in saving time and helps prepare to tackle the recoverable hazardous materials. Besides, being an obligation the IHM allows to control of hazardous materials by detailing the types, quantities, and locations of such materials onboard each vessel. The list of reasons that define how IHM is useful in ship recycling is given below:

Allows to keep a track of materials used in ship construction, allowing the shipbreaking workers to prepare themselves before handling onboard hazardous materials.

Crucial in developing countries such as India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh where environmental laws are scanty and can otherwise lead to detrimental effects on the environment and wildlife.

Helps you maintain a record of the materials recovered from shipbreaking and prevent any chances of fraud or embezzlement.

Conclusion

The IHM is crucial for identifying specific hazardous materials onboard ships that represent a potential risk to people or the environment, such as asbestos and ozone-depleting substances. With the help of IHM, we can keep a record of hazardous materials used in the ship’s construction, allowing us to protect shipbreaking workers and prevent environmental pollution. IHM is not only critical for saving the environment and workers but also helpful in the ship recycling process.

Shipbreaking activities include dismantling old and damaged ships to recover metal items such as steel or other recyclable items. Steel Scrap recovered from the ship-breaking process is a predominant source of raw materials utilized in re-rolling mills. Usually, 70% of the overall light displacement tonnage of a dismantled ship comprises re-rollable scrap having extensive usage in the industry. The steel scrap is further recycled into rods and bars, which also have construction applications. There is a thriving market for steel scrap recovered from shipbreaking in India. With a reasonable price range, steel scrap attracts a horde of buyers from all over the country. 

The demand for recovered steel scrap is dependent on its quality and condition. As the steel used to assemble ships can withstand pressure, high impact, and strain on account of severe cold, it is deemed fit for industrial applications. R.L. Kalthia Ship Breaking is a private organization indulged in recovering tonnes of steel scrap from dismantled ships.  As India is a leading player in ship breaking business and has a huge demand for re-rolling steel. Our company also provides shipbreaking scrap material at the best price in India.

Redeeming Features of Shipbreaking Scrap Material 

Shipbreaking scrap material mainly consists of re-rollable scrap which is further recycled into useful industrial products. As the material recovered from shipbreaking has superior yield strength, through-thickness ductility, and notch impact strength, it can be recycled into rods and bars of the same durability and strength. The chemical composition of recovered scrap is consistent and has low sulfur and phosphorus content. Steel from shipbreaking is more reliable than steel from billets and ingots. 

From a metallurgic point of view, the steel from ship breaking is normalized, fully killed, and has a finer and more compact grain structure, free from inclusions, cracks, pores, and austenitic characteristics. For industrial applications that require corrosion resistance, impact resistance, machinability, formability, bendability, re-rollable scrap from shipbreaking is an ideal match. R.L. Kalitha is bringing you the best quality steel scarp right from the coasts of Alang. 

Recoverable Items from Shipbreaking useful for Recycling 

One of the reasons why shipbreaking became a huge success in developing countries such as India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh is the availability of labor. Shipbreaking is a labor-intensive process that utilizes a huge workforce to dismantle a ship and scrape off re-rollable steel. The physical material recovered before dismantling the ship is given below: 

• Disassembling main engine parts such as head, main block, piston, bore, and crankshaft. Removal of a propeller, its shaft, etc.

• Removing ballast water, lubricants, fuel oil, loose cables, electrical items, fire fighting equipment, ladders, window panel, frames, etc.

• Removal of movable gear, nylon and steel ropes, shackles, electrical navigation equipment, pulley blocks, paints and lubricant tins, tarpaulin, machinery, spares, etc.

• Getting rid of auxiliary equipment of prime mover machinery, such as diesel generator sets, boilers, air compressors, pumps, valves, etc.

Once all these items are successful, the workers proceed to dismantle the ship. The steel structure of the vessel is cut vertically by Oxygen-LPG into large blocks. These large blocks are dropped on the shores or beachside. From there on they are dragged and cut into smaller pieces for selling purposes. This steel scrap and re-rollable steel now become available to be recycled by the steel and manufacturing industry. 

Leading Ship Recycling Company; R.L. Kalthia 

R.L. Kalthia has been working since the inception of Alang shipbreaking yard in 1993. Our company takes pride in being the first shipbreaking company in India to be awarded ISO 9001, ISO 14001, and ISO 45001 certifications by the leading assessment, verification, and certification body DNVGL in the year 2007. Our company is located along the coastline of Alang, and India’s Gulf of Khambhat, approximately 50 kilometers from Bhavnagar. We offer shipbreaking scrap material at the best price in India. You will not find any other shipbreaking company that provides high-quality re-rollable steel scarp at an incredible price range. We give equal importance to the environmental consequences of our shipbreaking activities and follow all industrial standards. We have been involved in environmentally sound recycling for several major Ship Owners and their obsolete vessels by providing green ship recycling in line with CSR credentials. Some other features of our ship recycling services are: 

• 100% Customer Satisfaction 

• Eminent Workmanship 

• Professional and Qualified 

• Quality Control System 

• Accurate Testing Process 

• Environmental Sensitivity 

• Highly Qualified Staff 

Decades of experience coupled with premium steel scrap have made our company the best in the industry. We give the best price for shipbreaking scrap in India. Our company complies with the Hong Kong International Convention(HKC) for the Safe and environmentally sound Recycling of ships. We hire an experienced pool of labor, that is well-versed in shipbreaking and perform all the precautions to ensure the supreme quality of recovered scrap. Contact the details below to get shipbreaking scrap material at the best price in India. 

Studies have stated that 40 percent of the waste worldwide ends up in huge heaps of garbage, and the oceans will see more plastic in them than fish by 2050. Although Shipbreaking is deemed the perfect disposal solution for large, abandoned, and useless ships, rampant shipbreaking activities on the beachside contribute to marine pollution. As the ships are largely constructed of many radioactive and toxic materials, it is a threat to humanity as well as marine life. To stave off marine pollution and make shipbreaking more environment-friendly, the concept of Green Ship Recycling has been introduced. Through green ship recycling the waste management and shipbreaking industry will transform into an environment-friendly activity, thereby alleviating pollution.

Green Ship Recycling is an attempt to transform ship breaking into an ecologically sound activity. Using this technique, marine pollution can be substantially controlled. Earlier, green ship recycling was first adopted by developed countries to marine pollution and save marine animals. As the shipbreaking industry shifted to developing countries, marine pollution became more rampant. Therefore, developing countries also adopted green ship recycling. Let’s dig deeper into green ship recycling and learn more about its working.

Green Ship Recycling - Explained by RL Kalthia Shipbreaking Company

What is Green Ship Recycling?

As shipbreaking has emerged as a preferable ship disposal method, green ship recycling is more and more encouraged. Unlike, conventional shipbreaking that happens alongside the beach, in green ship recycling the ship is dragged to a dock where it is dismantled. This prevents radioactive and toxic chemicals from flowing into the ocean. Commonly found toxic substances, released during shipbreaking are:

Asbestos

Oil sludge

Bilgewater, containing oil, urine, detergents, and solvents

Ballast water, containing plants, viruses, and bacteria picked up along the journey

Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs)

Lead

Mercury

Anti-fouling paint containing biocides, such as tributyltin (TBT)

Green ship recycling has gained popularity with increased awareness among shipbreaking yards. With gradual adoption by shipbreakers in developing countries, green ship recycling will become the norm and take the shipbreaking industry by storm. Green ship recycling will slowly and steadily become the new reality in the ship disposal system.

Key Growth Factors of Green Ship Recycling

The shipbreaking industry is witnessing a paradigm shift with green ship recycling. Stable economies around the globe will boost the green ship recycling market in the future. Some other driving factors, contributing to the growth of green ship recycling are given below:

1. With technological advancements, green shipbreaking will become more common and feasible across the globe.

2. The global green ship recycling market is expected to witness tremendous growth between the years 2020 – 2030 as national targets, rapid technological advancements, and international agreements have compelled companies to upgrade their shipping vessels.

3. Significant investment in the manufacturing sector across the countries and stable economies will create favorable conditions for the green ship recycling market.

4. With an increased demand for new vessels in different sectors, a lack of supply chain in ship maintenance services, and a rise in the production of vessels will promote the green ship recycling market.

Major Developments in India

The release of “Recycling of Ship Bills” in India in 2020, is expected to provide greater power for ship recycling in the country. This new bill will encourage the enforcement of internationally recognized standards and statutory mechanisms to ensure its implementation.

The government of India decided to join the Hongkong International Convention for environmentally sound and safe recycling of ships in 2009. As per the new Act, ship recycling facilities are required to be authorized and ships can only be recycled in these authorized ship recycling facilities.

Green Ship Recycling vs Conventional Ship Recycling

Green Ship Recycling - Explained by RL Kalthia Shipbreaking Company

Green ship recycling has evidentiary benefits over the conventional method of ship recycling. Besides, being a sustainable method, it also helps keep a record of material recovered from the shipbreaking. Some other advantages of green ship recycling are:

1. A sustainable and environmental-friendly shipbreaking or ship disposal method.

2. Significantly reduces the amount of waste generated and also prevents hazardous shipbreaking from reaching the beaches, which eventually affects marine life.

3. Earlier, only developed countries followed this ecological ship disposal method but slowly developing countries are also incorporating this method.

4. With the help of green ship recycling the ship owner can easily identify, store and safely dispose of those parts of the vessels that are hazardous to both human and marine lives.

5. Many toxic and radioactive materials, recovered while shipbreaking such as asbestos, oil sludge, and arsenic can be properly treated.

Green Passport; Recycling the Safe way

A green passport is a verification acquired from authorities, once a ship owner agrees to follow the standard procedures involved in green ship recycling. The ships with green passports will enjoy the following benefits, besides protecting the environment:

A ship’s inventory of Hazardous material (IHM) is maintained throughout the ship’s operational life.

Ships are devoid of radioactive and ozone-depleting substances.

Materials from ships are entirely used.

Foster staff awareness of the material.

Conclusion

Green ship recycling is a panacea for the unsystematic management of shipbreaking material and pollution caused by the hazardous material washed along the beachside. These harmful not only affect marine biotics but also impact human life and workers involved in shipbreaking. Incentives happening at the international level such as Hongkong Convention creates awareness among people for adopting ecological and sustainable shipbreaking practices such as green ship recycling. Developing countries embracing green ship recycling over conventional shipbreaking methods will completely change the shipbreaking industry.

Ships in general have an average life span of approximately 20-25 years. Around 500 – 700 ships are scrapped each year, and about 2000 – 3500 vessels have been scrapped in the last 5 years. The shipbreaking industry has proved to be a dependable system for disposing of large ships from all around the world. The ships sent to be dismantled contain a myriad of hazardous materials, therefore special care should be given while dismantling the vessels.

Shipbreaking yards should be designed in a way to identify, safely remove, safely store and safely dispose of to authorized agencies so that hazardous wastes do not impact the environment or human life. R.L. Kalthia is the best ship recycling company working along the coast of Alang, Gujarat, India. Through this blog, we attempt to simplify the whole process of shipbreaking and elaborate on common methods and stages of ship recycling. The blog touches upon even the minute details that go into shipbreaking and simplify it for you.

Common Methods & Stages of Ship Recycling

Prerequisites for Ship Recycling

Before, we jump to the dismantling part, it is crucial to know the prerequisites necessary for shipbreaking. The below-mentioned list contains all the mandatory certifications and preparation entailed before dismantling a ship.

1. Ship recycling contract – There should be a legitimate ship recycling contract that meets all the requirements as per the HKC and/or the EU SRR and its guidelines, the IHM, ship recycling facility plan (SRFP), SRP, SoC, and IRRC should be listed above all.

2. Inventory of Hazardous Material (IHM) Preparation – The IHM should be ship specific and prepared by a qualified expert covering all 13 – 15 substances given in the list of regulations.

3. Ship Recycling Plan (SRP) Development – The SRP should be developed according to MEPC.196(62), refer to a specific SRF, reflect the specific IHM, and provide licensed dis­posal and recycling solutions for all materials listed in the IHM.

4. SRP approval process – The SRP requires the Competent Authority (CA) of the recycling State’s approval to proceed further.

5. Approved SRP – The SRP is forwarded to the ship owner by SRF and contains the final version of IHM.

6. Final survey – The final survey is conducted before, the ship recycling starts by following the guidelines of (MEPC. 222[64]).

7. Report and beginning of ship recycling – The SRF launches the start of the ship recycling with the submis­sion of the IRRC to the CA.

8. Statement of Completion (SoC) – The statement of completion is issued by SRF with a report on accidents damaging human health and the envi­ronment and reports this to its client and CA

Common Ship Disposal Techniques

Over the years several years, ship disposal techniques have been discarded and many others have been adopted. Ship disposal is imperative to the ship owners as it entails a large sum of money and effort. Therefore, several guidelines are to be followed while dismantling ships to stave off any harm to the environment and human life. Different ship recycling techniques used to dismantle ships are briefed below:

1. Inter-Tidal Landing Method: In this recycling technique the ship is dragged to the beach at high tide when it is floating. The ship is held with winches and the cutting process is planned and carried out with the guidance and supervision of a naval architect.

2. Artificial Reefing: Many times, artificial reefs are created to submerge disposable ships in the water. The artificial reefs provide secure habitat for innumerable species of the marine world. The ship is submerged after ensuring that ship is devoid of any hazardous material that might disrupt marine life.

3. Hulking: In this ship recycling method it is ensured that the hull of a disposable vessel stays unaffected in water, while other functional ship parts are not kept intact. All toxic chemicals are eliminated before a ship hull can float in the water.

4. Dry Docking Method: In this ship disposal technique the whole shipbreaking is carried out on the land and the vessel is dismantled piece by piece. In this environmentally friendly method, the hazardous toxins are not washed off in the sea and do not harm marine life.

5. Alongside and slipway: This method is a combination of both in-water and on-land methods. Using this technique the infrastructure of ships is disassembled while the ship is still on the water. After this, scraping takes place on land where the ship is pulled on the beachside.

Different Stages in Ship Recycling

Common Methods & Stages of Ship Recycling

Once all the authorizations are acquired and the ship disposal technique has been decided, the ship dismantling process begins. The shipbreaking process comprises of following mentioned stages:

1. The ship arrives at the shore.

2. All the areas containing hazardous materials are identified and marked.

3. In the next step, all loose items are removed, before the actual shipbreaking begins.

4. The cutting process is categorized into primary cutting and secondary cutting. The non-metal parts are dismantled first followed by metallic parts cut off using an oxy-acetylene flame.

5. The hazardous materials are systematically removed, securely packed in bags, stored in a specifically marked hazardous area, and then disposed of to authorized agencies.

6. The recovered steel plates are cut into smaller pieces for sale purposes.

Conclusion

Ship recycling is an elaborate process, comprising numerous stages. R.L. Kalthia is devoted to simplifying shipbreaking and its concepts for you. We are the recycling facility of choice for safe and environmentally sound recycling for several major ship owners and their vessels by providing green ship recycling in line with csr credentials. You can contact us at info@kalthiashipbreaking.com to acquire more information on shipbreaking or other shipbreaking facilities.

The global shipbreaking industry has turned to countries such as India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Turkey, Pakistan, and China. Though the shipbreaking industry is a boon to the economy of these countries, their scarce environmental policies pose a threat to marine biotic and human life. R.L. Kalthia aims to elaborate on Hazardous materials analysis and disposal procedures during ship recycling through this blog. You will find a vivid explanation of the toxic materials recovered from the vessels and their disposal procedures. 

The onboard hazardous materials are a threat to humans, animals, and the environment. The perilous materials are present widely in varying amounts and are generally difficult to deal with. Removal and disposal of abandoned ships in an environmentally sound and safe manner is a major challenge today, therefore it is imperative to know, how to remove and dispose of hazardous materials. There are different methods used to deal with different types of hazardous materials. However, there still needs to be advanced measures and techniques to enhance the protection of the environment and human health. 

Onboard Hazardous Materials Recovered while Shipbreaking 

Ship recycling has been associated with menacing practices and marine pollution. Even though shipbreaking provides a reliable supply of steel and other metals for reuse, there has been a severe cost in terms of lives lost and local environmental impact. Ships are built with a wide range of metals and polymers for their high durability and other features. However, these materials also threaten the environment due to their radioactive and toxic nature. The list of hazardous materials found in the end-of-life vessels is mentioned below: 

• Asbestos

• Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs)

• Ozone-depleting substances (CFCs, HCFC, etc.)

• Organotin compounds (TBT, TPT, TBTO)

• Glass Wool 

• Heavy metal—lead

• Heavy metal—mercury

• Oil and fuel (including hydraulic and lubricating oils, engine oil, and grease)

• Bilge water

• Ballast water

• Polyvinyl chloride (PVC)

Environmental Impact of On-board Hazardous Materials 

All the detrimental materials are found at different locations in the end-of-life vessel. Each one of them has a specific interaction with the environment, humans, and animals. The impact of other hazardous materials, with their location and impact on the environment, is demonstrated in the table below: 

Hazardous materials with their location and impact on the environment.

Disposal Procedure of Hazardous Materials 

Disposing of hazardous materials is the most critical step in ship recycling. Any mistake during the disposal procedure can be life-threatening for the shipbreaking workers as well as the animal life that will be exposed to it. Therefore, carrying out the disposal procedures with utmost safety is essential, while adhering to international and industrial standards. The disposal procedure for the hazardous material can be briefed with the following mentioned steps:

1. Qualified workers are hired with in-depth knowledge and proper training.

2. Several tools and equipment are utilized for protection such as disposal cloth, groove, mask, special shoes, equipped with respiration devices, etc.

3. There should be facilities for personal protection equipment (PPE), storage room, showering room, changing room, washing room, etc. 

4. Make sure the workers strictly follow the procedures to dismantle a specific hazardous material and set it up in a confined area to prevent an explosion from oils and fuels such as hydraulic and lubricating oils, engine oil, and grease. 

5. A diligent team should be assigned to supervise workers and ensure that they are wearing all the protective gear and equipment and working as per the standard protocols. 

6. Put dismantled hazardous materials in proper packaging and forward them to a qualified treatment organization for disposal.

Conclusion 

The end-of-life vessels contain many hazardous materials such as PCBs, glass fiber, solid foam, and waste oils, damaging the environment, humans, and animals. Currently, the recycling process is not considered in the ship design process, where the main focus is cost and quality. There is a need for stringent ship recycling policies that will reduce the number of hazardous materials, keep track of these harmful materials during design, construction, and operation, increase the accessibility of wiring and piping, and so on. Contact R.L. Kalthia at info@kalthiashipbreaking.com to acquire more information on ship recycling or to avail of shipbreaking facilities. 

In recent years, the term “green ship recycling” has gained momentum across global maritime and environmental circles. But what does it actually mean on the ground, and how is it changing the way shipbreaking is done in Alang, the world’s largest ship recycling yard?

At R.L. Kalthia Ship Breaking Pvt. Ltd., we are seeing this transformation firsthand — not as a distant concept, but as a daily operational reality.

What is Green Ship Recycling?

Green ship recycling is a method of dismantling end-of-life ships in a way that minimizes environmental damage and ensures worker safety. It involves:

• Preventing oil spills and chemical leaks.

• Safely removing hazardous materials.

• Recycling materials like steel in an eco-friendly manner.

• Complying with international standards like the Hong Kong Convention.

Real Changes Happening in Alang

Today, certified yards like ours are equipped with impermeable flooring, drainage systems, proper waste disposal units, and trained health and safety officers. These are not token upgrades — they are real improvements that align Alang with global expectations.

At R.L. Kalthia, every ship is dismantled under strict environmental and safety protocols. From oil tank draining to asbestos removal, every step is documented, monitored, and audited.

Why Shipowners Prefer Compliant Yards Today

Modern shipowners recycle their vessels responsibly. Non-compliant shipbreaking can damage shipowners reputation and lead to regulatory penalties. This is why many choose yards like ours that hold Statements of Compliance (SoC) from international classification societies.

We’re not just breaking ships — we’re solving a problem for shipowners. We offer transparency, legal compliance and best services.

Sustainability That Goes Beyond Buzzwords

Eco-friendly ship dismantling isn’t just about being “green” for the sake of marketing. When done right, it creates:

• Less pollution in coastal waters.

• More recyclable material for the local economy.

• Better safety for workers.

• Long-term viability of the ship recycling ecosystem.

This isn’t a trend. It’s the future — and it’s already happening here.

Conclusion: Alang is Evolving, and So Are We.

Green ship recycling is not a niche concept anymore — it’s a competitive advantage. And for companies like R.L. Kalthia Ship Breaking Pvt. Ltd., it’s also a responsibility. We’re proud to be among the few shipbreaking yards in Alang that are driving this evolution forward.

If you’re a shipowner looking to recycle responsibly, or a stakeholder interested in sustainable shipbreaking, we invite you to visit our yard and see the difference for yourself.

In the past, shipowners had limited visibility over what happened to their end-of-life vessels. But today, with tightening global regulations and increased ESG commitments, the industry is under the microscope. And the spotlight is now on Alang, India — for the right reasons.

The New Alang: A Hub for Sustainable Ship Recycling

Alang is no longer just a place where ships go to die — it’s where they are responsibly reborn through recycling.

What Shipowners Want Today

• Transparency: Full documentation and traceability of the recycling process.

• Safety: Proper facilities, trained workers, and certified procedures.

• Environmental Responsibility: Pollution control, waste management, and material reuse.

• Certifications: Compliance with the Hong Kong Convention and other global standards.

How We Deliver This at R.L. Kalthia Ship Breaking Pvt. Lt.d

We maintain impermeable floors, certified decontamination units, and safety protocols that meet — and often exceed — global expectations.

Our Statement of Compliance from ClassNK reinforces our commitment to responsible recycling.

The Reputation Advantage for Shipowners

Choosing a certified yard in Alang isn’t just the right thing to do — it’s good for business.

Shipowners can show stakeholders, regulators, and the public that they’ve recycled responsibly, ethically, and transparently.

Conclusion

Ship recycling isn’t a loophole to exploit — it’s a decision that reflects a company’s values. And for responsible shipowners, Alang has become the destination of choice, especially when partnering with experienced, sustainable yards like R.L. Kalthia Ship Breaking Pvt. Lt.d

On 26 June 2025, a historic milestone was achieved in the maritime and ship recycling world:
The Hong Kong International Convention for the Safe and Environmentally Sound Recycling of Ships (HKC) officially entered into force.

This landmark convention, adopted by the International Maritime Organization (IMO), sets global standards for the safe and environmentally responsible recycling of ships, with the goal of protecting human health and the marine environment.

For the ship recycling industry — especially in leading countries like India — this moment marks the beginning of a new era defined by sustainability, safety, and accountability.

What Is the HKC?

The Hong Kong Convention was adopted in 2009 but required ratification by a sufficient number of countries representing a major portion of the world’s merchant shipping and recycling capacity. That threshold was finally reached, and the Convention became legally binding from June 2025.

Its key objectives are to:

• Ensure safe and environmentally sound recycling of ships

• Prevent hazardous material exposure for workers and the environment

• Establish a global framework for shipowners, flag states, and recycling yards

Why the HKC Matters to Shipowners

Shipowners are now obligated to ensure that their vessels are recycled only at HKC-compliant facilities. Non-compliance can result in legal complications, loss of reputation, and operational restrictions.

Here’s what shipowners need to do:

• Maintain a Ship Recycling Plan (SRP)

• Develop and update the Inventory of Hazardous Materials (IHM)

• Work only with certified recycling yards that meet HKC standards

India: A Global Leader in HKC-Compliant Ship Recycling

India, one of the world’s largest ship recycling hubs, ratified the HKC in November 2019, positioning itself at the forefront of green and responsible ship dismantling. The industry in India has since undergone significant upgrades in:

• Infrastructure

• Waste management systems

• Worker health and safety

• Environmental compliance

R.L. Kalthia Ship Breaking Pvt. Ltd. is proud to be among the first Indian yards to achieve HKC requirements, holding the Statement of Compliance (SOC) from ClassNK.

What This Means for the Future of Ship Recycling

With the HKC now in force, the global ship recycling industry is expected to undergo a massive transformation:

• Transparency and traceability will become standard

• Unregulated dismantling will be phased out

• Demand for certified green recycling yards will rise sharply

• Ports and classification societies will enforce stricter audits

Shipowners now face a clear choice: operate with certified partners or risk falling behind in the new regulatory landscape.

Final Thoughts

The entry into force of the Hong Kong Convention in June 2025 is not just a regulatory update — it is a global commitment to a safer, greener maritime industry. As environmental, social, and governance (ESG) expectations increase, compliance with international frameworks like the HKC will become a business imperative.

At R.L. Kalthia Ship Breaking Pvt. Ltd., we embrace this change and continue to lead the way in HKC-compliant, eco-friendly ship recycling.